Living the Dream
by AlAtt
Summary: Jude is a producer about to go on tour with the love of her life who is only her best friend...what will happen?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"Hey D. It's been a long time. What's going on?" Tom Quincy was amazed to hear from his old manager and current boss—they had gone nearly 2 years without talking. Because he was working at G Major New York City, Darius and him didn't have much contact. Darius had decided to stay in Toronto once he took over the label 2 years ago.

"Well, T, I know you've been hoping to get back to Toronto, and I think I have a solution both of us will like."

Immediately Tommy was intrigued. He couldn't wait to get back to Toronto—everything he loved was there; that was home. But he knew how Darius was. There was no way Darius would let Tom go back to Toronto unless it benefited him too—and Darius was a hard man to please. "Yeah Dar? And what would that be?"

Darius continued and told Tommy, "At the end of the next major world-wide tour that G Major is putting together, I will be moving back to New York. Portia is there, my baby girl is there, and you know that's where I love. I mean I miss the Hamptons!"

"Anyways..." Tommy tried to encourage Darius to move past the details and get to what really mattered.

"Right. Anyways, I will need someone to manage the G Major in Toronto, and I think you are the man for the job."

At that, Tommy's breath caught in his throat. Move back to Toronto...be surrounded by his friends...Jude...his feisty, spunky, 20-year-old best friend. As much as it made him sound like a teenage girl, that would be like a dream come true. He had missed Toronto. Really, he had just missed Jude. Sure, they talked on the phone at least once a week, and they got to see each other every couple of months, but it wasn't the same as being in the studio with her or working on music with her. He wanted to help her produce her own music—something they had only ever thought about. Jude had just told him last week that she was giving Darius the demo to see if he might give her a chance in the studio as more than a producer.

His thoughts were interrupted when he heard Darius yelling, "Tom! Tom, man! Yo, T!"

Shaking his head, Tommy quickly responded, "Sorry D. What was it that you were saying?"

"Well, I will send you back to Toronto at the end of this tour on one condition."

"And what is the one condition, Dar? And who is going on tour? Jude told me that SME was going to open the show, but even she didn't know who was headlining." Tommy and Jude had talked for a couple of minutes earlier that day when she told him she would get to go on tour as a tech. She was super excited to be hanging out with her best friends currently in Toronto—the boys of Spiederman Mind Explosion: Vincent Spiederman, Wally Robbins, and Kyle Bateman. Jude had been friends with the guys since she started interning at G Major four years ago. He thought they were a bit immature and annoying, but he was glad that they kept her company.

"That's where my part of the deal comes in. Both of your questions can be answered at once, T. The headlining group will be Boyz Attack."

There was complete silence from Tommy's end of the line as he processed what Darius had just said. Boyz Attack would be headlining the show? Boyz Attack was the cheesy boyband that gave Tommy his rise to fame over 10 years ago. Thankfully, the "band" had dissolved about five years ago, when he was 22—the year before he met Jude. He had never loved the music that Boyz Attack performed, but he did love performing. Being on stage was a feeling unlike any other—one he couldn't wait for Jude to experience. But as his mind returned to the problem at hand, Tommy decided to make sure this wasn't some joke. "Darius, are you saying that Boyz Attack is going to be headlining a world-wide tour? We still aren't getting the band together again. That ship has sailed." The panic was evident in Tommy's voice.

"Tom, I understand your concern, and, though I don't care, you don't need to worry. This will be the final chapter in the Boyz Attack book. But this tour is a great opportunity for me to make a lot of money. And Tom, you do this for me, and you will be back in Toronto as soon as the tour is over." Strangely enough, the sincerity in Darius' voice was evident.

"When do you need a final decision?" Tommy couldn't believe that he was actually considering this. He swore that when he left Boyz Attack five years ago, that would be it. Hell, he was 27 years old, he was finally moving on with his life. But with a chance to move back to Toronto, Tom was thinking about it.

"I'll give you until tomorrow at noon. And just so you know, the tour will happen one way or another. If you agree to be a part of it, you will have the job in Toronto as manager of the studio. And to show you how serious I am, I am willing to give your girl a chance. She gave me her demo the other day, and I think she might have a shot. She can try her hand at being an artist so long as she is produced by the best—you. Let me know by tomorrow." With that, Darius hung up the phone.

Tommy was left listening to the dial tone. Wow, he thought. What the hell do I do now? He slowly put the phone back in its cradle, contemplating his next move. Before he knew it, an hour had passed. When Mason Fox walked into the studio that afternoon, he found Tommy sitting in the same position after his phone call with Darius.

"Dude, what is going on? You look completely lost?" Mason sat down next to Tommy in the studio.

Startled, Tommy responded to Mason, "Oh, hey Mase. What's going on?"

"Well I'm fine...but clearly you aren't. What's up man? I never see you like this." Mason had been Tommy's artist since he arrived in New York City about two years ago. They had grown to be friends over the years—partly because Mason and Jude had become friends as well. Every time Jude would come to visit him, her and Mason would inevitable spend time together. She even helped him write a duet that had become a hit across the United States. Mason knew that to get Tommy this "out of whack," something had to be seriously wrong. "Come on, Tom. What's going on?"

"I just found out that I can go back to Toronto."

"Wow! That's what you've been wanting for the past year and a half. I don't see what the problem is." Mason knew that Tommy missed Toronto. He also knew that Jude was the biggest reason. For a long time he had suspected that the feelings those two shared were more than friendly, but for as long as he knew them, they had denied it. He didn't understand why Tommy was so confused.

"I can go back to Toronto as long as I agree to be a part of the Boyz Attack 5-year reunion tour—visiting over 20 countries in six months." As soon as he finished speaking, Tommy's expression fell and he put his head in his hands.

That made much more sense to Mason. He knew how much Tommy despised his boy band past. "I get it now." He didn't know how to help Tommy. There was nothing he could say to make things better. Mason knew that the only one who would really be able to help to help Tommy process and make a decision would be Jude. So that's exactly what he suggested. "Why don't you give Jude a call? You know that she'll help talk things out."

"You sure you don't mind, man?" Before he finished speaking, Tommy had already gotten out his phone and was ready to dial.

"No problem. Give her a call and if anyone comes around, I'll just tell them I'm writing." Mason smiled and waved Tommy off.

Completely grateful, Tom hit the number 2 on his speed-dial to talk to Jude as he walked out of the studio. About three blocks away was Tommy's favorite park. This time of year was especially perfect for being outside—a slight breeze, blue sky, and the shade of a bunch of trees—and perfect for a conversation with Jude. This was exactly what he needed to clear his head and make a decision.

Once he was seated on his favorite bench, Tom called his favorite girl.

…

Jude felt her phone vibrating in her back pocket as she was sitting in the studio listening to Spied, Wally, and Kyle. Without looking at the screen, she flipped her phone open to answer, "Jude Harrison, what can I do for you?"

"Babes, is that any way to talk to your favorite person?"

She heard the husky voice and chuckle on the other line and immediately grinned. It was Tommy...her Tommy...her best friend. "Hang on Hon, let me finish up with the guys and call you back in like two minutes. Is that okay?" Jude loved hearing from Tommy, but wanted to be able to focus on their conversation. With SME in the studio, that would be next to impossible.

"No problem. I've got time, call me back when you get rid of them."

"Sure thing. Talk to you soon" Jude hung up her phone and pressed the intercom to speak to the guys. "Guys, I have a call and you guys are just about done, so why don't we call it a day early?" The smile on her face gave away who Jude was talking to.

"Ooooh...you have a phone call to take?" Spied teased Jude. He knew it had to be Tommy—that was the only person who could get Jude to smile that wide.

"Shut it Spied, I have to tell him about Darius' offer anyways. I'll talk to you guys later—are we still gonna jam later?"

"You know it, Dude. Talk to you later." With that, the boys grabbed their instruments and stuff and left the studio. Though they were a bit crazy, she loved the guys. They had grown especially close over the past couple of years since Tommy had gone to New York City. She had originally met them when she first started interning at G Major four years ago. Her sister, Sadie, and her sister's boyfriend, Kwest, had gotten her an internship at G Major, where Kwest was a producer. The guys ended up showing her around her first day there. They were studio musicians, hired to help record the backtracks for different artists. Eventually, they got their own recording contract, thanks largely to Tommy, and Jude eventually became their producer. Speaking of which, she needed to call Tommy back.

Getting up from her chair in the booth, Jude grabbed her phone and headed outside. Sitting down on the staircase, Jude speed-dialed her best friend.

"Hi again" Tommy answered after the first ring.

"Hey Babes. Sorry it took a few minutes...you know how the guys are." Jude smiled to herself at the thought of her buds.

"Yes, I know how they are." Tommy too smiled at the thought of SME. He knew they were a handful, but he also knew they were pretty harmless and loved Jude like a sister. "Do you have a few minutes?" Tom knew this conversation might take some time and wanted to make sure that they would be able to discuss things uninterrupted.

"I have all the time in the world for you! You know that." Any time that Tommy asked if she had time, Jude knew that it would be a long conversation. "What's going on?"

"Well, I have some news...but how are you?"

The question didn't surprise Jude, she knew that whenever Tommy was anxious about something, it was hard for him to just admit it. As much as he needed to talk things out with Jude, he almost wanted to avoid the questions and confusion surrounding the offer that Darius gave him. The sound of her voice and her laughter relaxed him immediately.

"Nope, we aren't doing that Babes. What's going on?" Jude had chuckled when he asked how she was, but she knew there must be something serious going on.

Tommy smiled at the familiar term of endearment. To anyone listening in on their conversation, it would seem as though they were together. To them, it was normal. The "Babes" had come about when a crazy ex-groupie of Boyz Attack interned at G Major over three years ago, when Tommy was still based in Toronto. In order to dis-suede her from hanging on Tommy, they had pretended that Jude was Tommy's girlfriend. To seem more convincing, they had started using nicknames and thus, "Babes" was born. Along the way, "Hon," and "Sweetheart" were also utilized; even when the crazy girl left G Major, the nicknames had stuck. "Well, Darius called me today."

In those few words, Jude knew that this was going to be an interesting conversation. "Wow! What did he say?"

"He told me I could come back to Toronto."

Jude knew that there had to be more to it. "Hon, you're gonna have to give me more. We all knew Darius wouldn't just let you come back...what is he getting out of it?"

"You know it. But first, have you heard who is headlining the tour that SME is going on?"

"No. SME doesn't even know who they are opening for. Do you know?" Jude was curious. She had just told Tommy that she was going to go on tour with the guys as an extra sound technician. Darius had agreed to let her become a full-time producer once she got back from tour with the guys. For the past couple of years, she had been assisting Kwest. Every once in a while, he would let her take over, and he always let Jude work with SME. In two weeks, she would be heading out with some of her best friends on a world-wide tour.

"Well, that's where the craziness begins. If I agree, I will be headlining the tour...with the rest of the guys."

There was a moment of silence as Jude processed what Tommy was really saying. "You mean..."

"Yep...Boyz Attack...the Reunion Tour."

The silence on Jude's end finally ended and she quickly exclaimed, "Are you kidding? He wants you to... You are going... Boyz Attack?"

"Yeah..." On the other end of the line, Tommy was silent. He too was a still processing what Darius had asked of him.

Jude knew there had to be more to the story. "Start from the beginning. What does Darius want?"

"Basically, D told me that if I agreed to do the Boyz Attack thing one last time, I could come back to Toronto. He would make me the manager of G Major Toronto and he would move back to New York. I don't know what to do."

The desperation in Tommy's voice was evident to Jude, and her heart broke for him. She knew he would never willingly go back to the life he had as "Little Tommy Q" from Boyz Attack. That was a time in his life he wished he could forget.

"Oh Babes. I'm so sorry." She didn't want to get her hopes up at the prospect of him coming back to Toronto, so she had to know, "Are you going to do it?"

Tommy couldn't tell Jude about Darius' offer to let her go solo, because she wouldn't get the opportunity if he didn't agree. He was lost. "I don't know. Darius promised that this would be the last Boyz Attack thing I ever have to do. If I go through with the tour, it will all be over. And I get to move back to Toronto and we will be the dynamic duo again."

At the sound of "dynamic duo," Jude's heart clenched. She would love for Tommy to move back—she had missed them so much over the past 2 years. When she first came to G Major, even as a lowly intern, they had connected. After only a month, Jude and Tommy became inseparable. He taught her about producing and making music. Thanks to him, her music was better. Thanks to him, she had a job. She would love it if Tommy came back.

"Well, you know I would seriously love it if you came back, but its up to you. I totally support you if you want to go on tour...and hey, you know I'll be there. That will make the whole Boyz Attack thing way better."

The thing was, in Tommy's mind, having Jude on tour would make it actually bearable. She could make anything better. And Tommy knew that Jude would support him no matter what...that's what made her so great. "You know that my life would not be near as complete without you in it. I think I'll have to sleep on it though. So tell me what's going on with the guys."

Jude knew that he was done talking about the Boyz Attack issue for now. "Well, you'll never guess what Kyle did the other day?" Jude giggled as she regaled Tom with tales of her buds.

...

After talking for an hour, Tommy realized he had to go. He had another artist to work with before going back to his apartment. After talking with Jude, he was again reminded of how much he missed her. She was his rock in life, the only one who would call him on his shit and be honest. It was Jude who helped him with his music—he couldn't show his own stuff to anyone else, only her. At the sound of his name being called, Tommy came back to his conversation with Jude. "You alright Hon?" He heard her ask.

"Yeah, I'm fine Babes. I gotta go, but I'm glad we got to chat. I've missed you Harrison."

"Any idea what you're gonna do?"

"Well, I think I'm gonna do it." As soon as he said the words out loud, Tommy knew it was the right choice. Hearing the excitement in Jude's response made him even more sure.

"Are you sure? You're not doing this for me right?" Jude was holding her breath waiting for Tommy's response.

Knowing her well, Tommy said, "Girl, breathe. And yes, I'm gonna do it. I mean, this means its all over—no more Boyz Attack being held over my head. And the best part is that I get to come home." And it was true, he would be going home. New York had never been his home, just a place he was living in the interim. He was finally going home to his girl.

"Yay!" Jude screamed in excitement and, though he couldn't see her, she was jumping up and down.

Tommy could hear what sounded like a crash in the background. "Jude...are you okay?"

"Yep, fine. Just fine. I'm good. I might have almost fallen off the stairs."

Tom laughed at Jude's clumsiness. She had never been very coordinated, but that was just another of the many reasons he loved her...or at least cared a lot about her. She was just Jude. And for him, that made her perfect. "Just make sure you stay in one piece for the tour. You only have 2 weeks and then we're off!" Tommy was getting more excited by the moment—knowing that he would be seeing Jude in just two short weeks thrilled him.

"I seriously can't wait." The emotion caught in Jude's throat—she literally couldn't wait to see Tommy. And seeing him in two weeks was the start of him coming home.

Tommy nodded before realizing that she couldn't see him. "Me too, Babes, me too." After a moment, he told her he would call her back later to talk about when he would be getting back to Toronto. They said their goodbyes and hung up. As Tommy walked back to the studio, he pulled out his phone one more time to let Darius know his final decision.

"D? I'll do it. I'm in"

"T, that's great! I'll book your travel arrangements and let you know what the plan is. This is going to be huge!" Darius' excitement was evident.

Before Darius could go on, Tom stopped him. "But D, this is it. I agree to do this concert and that means no more Boyz Attack ever, and I get to go back to Toronto. Understood?"

"I got you T, no worries. As part of your new contract, I have signed away my ability to make you do something for the Boyz again." Darius knew that was the only way he would ever get Tom to agree.

"Thanks D. In that case, I'll see you in a couple of weeks. And hey, could you not tell Jude about her recording? I want to tell her."

Darius smiled at Tom's request, he always knew that there was something special between the two. "No problem, Tom. I'll be in touch." With that, Darius and Tom hung up and went back to their schedule. Tom with a huge smile on his face, and dare he say it, a skip in her step. Things were starting to turn around.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Jude was in the baggage claim section of the airport waiting excitedly for her best friend to arrive. For almost two weeks things around G Major had been insane. Darius seemed to be on a rampage, and no one could do anything right. Jude had been almost fired twice, Kwest had been fired and rehired once, and SME was told that they weren't going on tour at least five times. Tour started tomorrow though, and things were pretty much in place. Chaz, Bruno, JP, and Sean had already arrived in Toronto, the buses were packed, and everyone was excited. Jude couldn't wait to get going, but she wasn't sure if she was more excited for the tour to begin, or Tommy to arrive.

Speaking of whom, Tommy still hadn't shown up. Jude had checked the flight schedule at least ten times and she knew his plane wasn't supposed to be late, so where was he? It was already 4:00pm and his flight was scheduled to get in at 3:25pm. Just then, she saw him coming down the escalator. Her excitement increased tenfold as she watched him get closer. As he was about a hundred feet from her, Tommy finally noticed who his chauffeur was and smiled at her. The smile itself was filled with love—Jude could only wish that it was the romantic and passionate love she felt for him. Yes, Jude Harrison was in love with Tom Quincy.

Pushing those thoughts aside, Jude ran to meet Tommy. When she was only a couple of feet from him, she launched herself into his arms, wrapping her legs around her waist, and held onto him as if he were her lifeline. In reality, he was her lifeline. Jude wouldn't know what to do if it wasn't for Tommy.

Minutes later, Jude reluctantly slid down his body. Even though she was still standing, Jude still held onto Tommy. She was having a hard time letting go—having him in her arms, being held by him was perfect. Little did she know that Tommy felt the same way. Having her in his arms was wonderful—he couldn't remember a time he felt more content.

Finally, Tommy and Jude separated. They took a step back and looked at eachother, breaking into wide smiles, completely captivating eachother. Jude was the one who broke the spell first, "So Quincy, are you ready for the madness we are about to embark on?" He could tell by her tone that she was excited to be going on this tour, but a little nervous too.

"You bet. Just think, starting tomorrow, we will be spending the next three months in the US and then heading to Europe and Asia. You will have to share a tour bus with three stinky boys, and I will be sharing one with four other guys who are self-absorbed and prima donnas."

"Oh, come on, Quincy! You know you are more concerned with your hair than those four guys combined!" As she said this, Jude nudged Tommy with her elbow. "But nonetheless, lets get your bag and get to the studio. We can't leave the hair products alone for too long." Jude smirked and ran into him with her shoulder.

"Harrison, you know you're jealous of my hair. You only wish that your blonde locks were as luxurious as mine." Tommy said this with a smile and ran his hand through her hair. He was surprised by its softness and the hint of lavender he smelt, but shrugged the thought off and put his arm around her. "Come on, I see my bag."

Putting her arm around his waist, Jude relished the closeness. He separated from her for a moment to grab his large suitcase, and as he did, Jude felt an emptiness and stared at him longingly. She had missed him so much...missed the feeling of him being close, missed the teasing and the touching, missed the way he made her feel. Jude new that Tommy would never feel the same way about her, but she couldn't help but love him. The next six months would be torture, but it was worth it to be close to him again.

Tommy grabbed his bag and turned back to Jude. He noticed a far away look in her eyes, but couldn't quite place it. He was about to question her, but she quickly found his eyes, smiled, and grabbed his hand. Pulling him after her, she said "Let's go Babes. Darius is waiting on you for the big meeting. Then, we have to get you settled back into your place. I had Marta come by yesterday to give it a once over and air things out."

…

A whirlwind of nearly 24 hours later, Jude, SME, Boyz Attack, and a few various other technicians and roadies were saying goodbye to friends and family. Sadie was hugging Jude, Kwest was man-hugging Tommy. The four then pulled each other into a group hug that was as cheesy as it was enjoyed by all. As they were saying their final goodbyes, Tommy held Jude close to him, his arm again around her shoulder, hers around his waist. Darius yelled for everyone to get going, and with that, Jude turned to meet the boys on the smaller bus. Tommy shook Kwests' hand one last time and quickly looked after Jude. Smacking her on her ass, he told her, "Let's go Babes, can't keep everyone waiting."

Acting shocked, Jude smirked at him and responded with, "Oh Tommy, you know that anything worth having is worth waiting for." She poked him in the chest, and just as she was about to turn back towards the buses, he grabbed her finger and pulled her close to him.

"Jude," he said, "you are most definitely worth waiting for." Because her face was so close to his, Tommy kissed her forehead and released her hand. She was stunned into immobility, a bright blush covering her cheeks. It took some yelling from Spied to get her moving again.

_Wow_, she thought. _What the hell was that?_

…

_What did I just do?_ What the only question currently dominating Tommy's mind. After picking him up at the airport yesterday, Jude had barely left his side for a minute. They had a meeting with Darius and everyone involved in the tour, then had decided to grab dinner to catch up. He had just wanted to drop his bags at his apartment and then they had gotten to talking. Three hours later, Jude's stomach was growling so loudly that their conversation was getting interrupted. They ended up ordering Chinese from the place across town that they loved, and stayed up half the night enjoying being together. They ended up falling asleep to _Man's Favorite Sport_—an old movie that was one of her favorites.

About halfway through the movie, Jude had fallen asleep with her head on Tommy's chest. Not wanting to wake her, and too tired to move a muscle, he had just closed his eyes and fell into a contented sleep. The surprise came that morning when he woke up with a raging hard on. He knew it was related to his dream—a very vivid one including him doing crazy things with Jude on a tour bus bunk. He had spent at least five minutes trying to deflate his friend when Jude had, in her sleep, shifted and moved her arm to rest on his chest from its previous place at her side. However, in the process, her arm ran along his length and gotten him up once again. Deciding that it would be easier to take care of his growing erection in a cold shower, he lifted Jude off of him and escaped to his bathroom.

Thirty minutes later he came back to the living room to find Jude just waking up with a cup of coffee in her hands. Her hair was going all directions and her eyes were closed, but in that moment, she was the essential Jude, a thought that brought a smile to Tommy's face. After she used his bathroom to shower and changed into the clothes that she had stored at his apartment (even after he moved she kept some of her things there hoping he would come back home), he ended up taking her home so she could grab her stuff. The pair then drove to G Major to help everyone load the equipment and get ready to go. All morning long Tommy hadn't been able to keep his eyes off of her. The jeans she was wearing had holes in the knees and formed to her ass perfectly. Her shirt was an oversized Doors concert shirt that seemed to hang off her frame hinting at her form underneath. Every once in a while when she was lifting equipment, the shirt would slide off her shoulder and give Tommy—and SME—a nice view of the black lace bra she was wearing. That, coupled with her hair that was slightly messy and curled around her face meant that Tommy literally could not take his eyes off of her.

When they were saying goodbye to Sadie and Kwest, he couldn't help himself and smacked her perfectly formed ass. He had momentarily forgotten that she was Jude, not some random girl he could take advantage of. Then the comment she made about being worth waiting for and again, he couldn't help himself. He loved seeing her blush and loved surprising her.

Shoving his confusion aside, Tommy got on the the bus that Boyz Attack was using for the first leg of the world tour. Greeting the rest of his band mates, Tommy settled himself in for the next few hours. The first show would be in Montreal—about a 7 hour drive for the caravan. Only an hour in and Tommy had caught up with JP and Sean and heard all about their families. Bruno was asleep, and Chaz hadn't gotten off the phone. Tommy was completely bored and missing Jude when his phone rang. Glad for the distraction, Tommy answered without looking at who the call was from.

"Tommy?"

He was immediately concerned at the quietness in Jude's voice. "What's wrong, Jude? You sound really quiet." Jude was never this subdued unless something was wrong.

"I'm hiding from the guys. We are playing hide and seek and I'm winning so far."

A smile graced Tom's face as he heard Jude's explanation. "Where are you hiding?"

He could literally hear Jude's glee when she answered "In between the bunk and the mattress of my bunk. I put some extra pillows on top of me so they won't know the difference. Spied already sat on top of me!"

"Seriously? You're in the bunk? That's crazy!" Tommy chuckled out loud, earning him a questioning glance from Chaz and a smile from JP. Not wanting to draw any more attention to his conversation, Tommy got off of the couch and went to the back where the bunks were located. Crawling in to what would be his home for the next few months, Tommy continued to chat with Jude. She told him about the bus they were on and the plans SME had for pranking the Boyz. Tommy laughed at some of their suggestions, but knew that they would never cross a line in going too far.

An hour later, Jude still hadn't been found, so she decided to find her friends. They were scattered around the bus in various states of sleep. Not surprised, she felt her own tiredness creeping in and decided to rest. Tommy and Jude hung up from their conversation and agreed to meet at the hotel once they arrived.

…

Montreal was a beautiful city. Driving to the hotel that the group would be staying at, Jude was amazed. She had only woken up moments ago, but now that she was fully awake, she couldn't wait to get off the bus. She loved Spied, Wally, and Kyle, but three months on a bus through North America and three months in Europe and Asia might be a bit much. She hadn't wanted to be in the van with the other technicians and roadies, and thought that spending the time with SME would be the perfect solution. She wasn't so sure about that decision any more.

When the buses and vans finally parked in the hotel lot, Jude was thrilled. She scrambled off of the bus as fast as she could, and was soon stretching in the middle of the parking lot. That was where Tommy found her a moment later—startling her by grabbing her around the waist and swinging her in a circle.

"Tommy..." Jude whined. "Put me down!"

He let her drop the the ground, but kept his arms around her saying "You know you loved it."

At her glare, he removed his arms. But as soon as he did, she broke into a wide smile and told him, "kidding!" Jude was glad that things with her and Tommy were normal. She was a bit concerned that after their slightly awkward moment before getting on the bus things would be weird. Not to mention this morning when she woke up on top of Tommy and her arm brushed his rather large erection. Thankfully Jude had been able to fake being asleep, but she didn't know what that meant. Jude was thrilled that Tommy was home, but she couldn't seem to shake the fact that he had only been home for a day and a half and she was already so tied to him. The few hours that separated them during the bus trip were miserable. How could he have become so important in such a little time?

Jude pushed those thoughts out of her mind and just embraced being with him again. They walked arm in arm to the hotel to get their room keys. Thankfully, everyone had their own room tonight—they may not be so lucky in the future. Tommy and Jude ordered dinner and watched a movie in his room. Even when he was in New York they would have a movie night and watch the same show over the phone. Only five minutes after the movie started, they were laying on the bed, Jude wrapped in Tommy's arms as he leaned against the pillows.

…

Around 11:00pm, the movie finished and Jude stretched from her position in Tommy's arms. Her shirt had ridden up as she stretched her arms and Tommy couldn't help but caress her exposed stomach. Her pale, soft, smooth skin was drawing him in, and he couldn't get enough. The smile on her face was precious, and with her her eyes closed, Tommy thought she looked perfect. Slowly opening her eyes, she turned her head towards him and curled up in his arms again. "Do you remember when we first met?"

"How could I forget? You told me I was an insult to the world of music and that I wouldn't know good lyrics if they hit me in the ass." Tommy chuckled at the memory. They had come a long way since then. Thankfully, she had given him a chance when he agreed to teach her the basics about producing. "I'm glad we got past that though. You know you're my best friend, right? I don't know what I would do without you."

Though her eyes were closed, Jude could hear the sincerity in his voice. "You know I feel the same way. Once Darius took over G Major and you went to New York, I didn't know what to do. Thankfully, SME has done really well and producing them has taken up all of my time. I'm glad you're back though." She hugged him, and smiled.

Tommy loved feeling so close to her, he had seriously missed that while he was gone. "I'm glad to be coming home. You know New York never felt quite right."

"I'm glad." Jude's words were slurred amidst her large yawn.

The tiredness in her eyes was obvious, and Tommy knew they should both get to sleep. The opening show of the tour was tomorrow, and that meant a lot of craziness was ahead. "Let's get to bed, girl."

Jude looked up at him with an adorable pout and asked, "Babes, I'm too tired to move. Can I stay here tonight?"

Little did she know that making her leave was the last thing Tommy wanted to do. "Of course sweetheart." He handed her a pair of boxers and told her, "Change into these so you'll be more comfy, OK?"

She smiled gratefully and took the boxers from him. Too tired to go into the bathroom, she told him to turn around while she changed. Unfortunately (or not so unfortunately), Tommy didn't turn around fast enough and he saw Jude taking off her jeans. Too mesmerized to look away, Tommy stared at Jude's ass that was peaking out of her lace boy shorts. How had he not noticed how amazing she looked? He knew that his hands would frame her rear just right, and he couldn't help but reach his hand out. Even though her back was to him, he could imagine grabbing her hips to pull her closer...holding her in place by grabbing her ass...taking her right there against the wall...

Tommy flinched and something hard crashed into his chest. He shook his head to clear the dirty thoughts and looked to where the object—which he now knew was a remote—came from. An angry Jude with hands on her boxer-clad hips assaulted his vision.

"You're such a perv, Tom. Whatever, lets sleep." She glared at him one last time and got under the covers. "And Babe," her voice came from under the comforter, "You might want to take care of your little, uh, problem."

Tom could hear the smile in her words, but when he looked down, he saw that the problem she was talking about was really another major erection—something that was becoming quite common around her. "Uh...right."

Never in his life had Tommy been embarrassed by something like this. Never before did he have a problem like this. He stumbled into the bathroom to fix things. What the hell was going on with him? As he crawled into bed next to Jude, she scooted closer to him in the midst of her sleep. He smiled and thought about the strange reaction he was having to Jude. He chalked it up to not having had any action in a long time. The last three dates he had been on were awful. One girl had been crazy, trying to get a piece of his hair to sell online. Another of the girls only tried to stick her tongue down his throat, and her breath had nearly knocked it out. The most recent date, from 2 months ago, couldn't seem to hold his interest. So that had to be the answer—his lack of any worthy action lately was why every time he turned around, he was popping up. Slightly comforted by that thought, Tommy turned on his side and drifted to sleep with thoughts of performing and music and Jude..

Hours later, just after ten in the morning, Tommy woke up to a long leg rubbing against his throbbing dick. His arms reached out and grabbed the lace-covered tight ass in front of him. He pulled the woman on top of him and pressed her center toward him. Her blonde hair covered his chest in a mass of beguiling waves. Not feeling near close enough to her, Tommy flipped the pair over so that he was on top of her. He realized that the beauty in front of him was Jude...beautiful, sexy, talented Jude. She immediately wrapped one leg around his waist, pressing their bodies as close as possible. His tongue darted out to taste her rosy nipple, sucking and nipping at the tasty bud before moving to the other side. She was rubbing herself against him, letting little moans and sighs escape her lips. He was entranced by the sound—like music to his ears. Her most recent whimpers sent him into a frenzy, he needed more of her. With one hand squeezing her round ass, he tore the scrap of black lace off and threw it to the ground. His hands grasped her hips, lifted her slightly, and slammed her onto him. The scream that invaded his ears brought him closer to release. Pumping her up and down his shaft, he could feel her begin to tighten. He could tell she was about to let go, and, instead of letting her, Tommy again flipped them without breaking their contact. She began to writhe beneath him, not quite able to let go. She began thrusting against him, trying to find her release. With a final push, she came, insides clenching, and yelling a guttural "Tommy!" This triggered Tom's release, and he let himself go with a loud grunt. He rolled to the side and stroked the back of this glorious woman.

Something hitting his head startled Tommy and brought him out of his reverie. Shocked, he opened his eyes to find Jude staring down at him, hair wet like she had just gotten out of the shower. Seeing her above him confused Tommy since she was in his arms only a moment ago. Realizing that he had just had a very real dream about his best friend, Tommy didn't know what to say.

Tommy wasn't saying anything, so Jude said, "Babes, we have to get going. Breakfast will be over in about fifteen minutes and then you have to get to the stadium in an hour for sound check." Noticing his pale, damp face, she put the back of her hand to his head and told him that he felt a bit warm. "Are you OK hon?" Concern marred her sweet features.

"Uh...yeah. I'm fine." Tommy was about to get out of bed, but remembered the slight problem his dream had triggered. Not only was he completely stiff under the covers, but he had also let himself go on the pillow he was currently still holding. Knowing that he couldn't let Jude see that—she would tease him for the rest of his life. "Would you mind grabbing me some food from downstairs while I get ready?"

"I already tried." Jude decided to push away the concern with how Tommy was acting. "They wouldn't let me bring it upstairs. So, hurry and get cleaned up. I already pulled a shirt out of your bag and figured you could just wear your jeans from yesterday."

Smiling, Tommy grabbed Jude's hand, "Thanks Babe. You're the best. I'll see you downstairs?"

"Sure. See you soon." With that, Jude kissed Tommy's forehead and headed out of the room with their luggage.

Still trying to process what had just happened, Tommy laid in bed for another couple of minutes before deciding he had to get cleaned up...starting with a very cold shower.

…

That evening, Jude was standing backstage as Spied, Wally, and Kyle rocked out. They were bringing the house down and completely in their element. For a moment, Jude was struck with a sadness. This had always been her dream—singing on a stage in front of thousands of fans, making her own music to touch the hearts of those around her. Of course, it was partly her own fault, she had never told anyone but Tommy, and now Darius, about her dream. She had given her demo tracks to Darius weeks ago, but he still hadn't told her anything. Tears pricked her eyes as Jude watched her friends rock out on stage. As much as she loved producing, she would love to perform.

Tommy noticed Jude watching the show from one of the wings. It was like he was pierced in the side when he saw the trail of tears make their way down her cheek. Instinctively knowing that it was her desire to make music that put Jude in the somewhat mournful state, he figured it would be the perfect time to tell her the good news Darius had agreed to weeks ago. Coming up behind her, Tommy wrapped his arms around her waist and put his head on her shoulder. Sensing that it was Tommy embracing her, Jude smiled through her tears and leaned into him.

"Hey."

"Hey back." Jude's voice was so soft and Tommy's chest clenched in sympathy.

"Wish you were up there with them?"

Tommy's question amazed Jude. Only he would know exactly what was going on. "Yeah. I just wish...well...you know."

She leaned her head against his and Tommy was assaulted by her sweet scent—the hint of vanilla and honey. Tommy had been worried this morning that things would be strange between them. After his little fantasy that morning, she had been on his mind all day. They hadn't really gotten a chance to talk and he had missed her. Seeing her tears made him want to fix things, and he was just glad that this problem he could fix.

While Tommy had been in thought, Jude had continued talking. "You know, I finally decided to go for it and gave Darius my demo tracks a few weeks ago. I still haven't heard anything though. Maybe it was just a lost cause?"

The desperation in her voice made Tommy's chest clench again. Turning her around to face him, Tommy kept his arms around her. "Babes, don't say that! You know that you are beyond talented. And Darius knows it too. When I get back to Toronto to manage the studio, I will be working with only 2 artists."

"Tommy, I'm glad that you'll be getting to be involved in more of the studio—I know that's one of the things you wanted. And who do you get to produce? And what does that have to do with my talent?" Jude rolled her eyes at the last word.

"Babes, let me finish. When I get back, Mason will be coming to Toronto too. Darius liked what we had done with the album so far and wanted me to finish the job." Tommy could see the curiosity in Jude's expression, still unsure as to who his other artist would be. Just as she was about to ask, he put a finger to her lips so he could finish. Her frustration was evident, but Tommy knew that his news would cheer her up. "Listen" he said with a playful glare. When she didn't protest, he continued. "Babes, the other artist I will be producing will be you."

Jude's excitement was shining in her eyes. "Really?"

"Really. In six months, you will be an official signed artist at G Major. D wants you to continue producing for a while, but, depending how things go, you could be a full-time artist a few months after we get home...records, tours, interview, the whole nine yards." Tommy was quiet for a moment as he waited for Jude's reaction, and he wasn't disappointed.

With a hand to her mouth and eyes wide, Jude looked up at him, questioning if he was being serious. When he nodded his head, she jumped into his arms and hugged him close. Tommy couldn't hide the smile on his face and the sigh that escaped his lips. He loved seeing her this happy. Even more, he loved being the one to make her this happy. After a few minutes, Jude got down from his embrace and gave him one last hug. The hug was interrupted when a stage hand tapped Tommy's shoulder telling him he was on in a minute. Knowing that was his cue to get ready, they separated. Tommy told her that they would celebrate later, after the show. Still in shock, Jude simply nodded. She was ambushed by Spied, Wally, and Kyle as they came off stage, which distracted her slightly. But for the rest of the night, she had more of a skip in her step at the prospect of living her dream.

…

Later that night, after the equipment was packed up, autographs were signed, and pictures were taken, everyone was going their separate ways. Chaz, Bruno, Spied, Wally, and Kyle were heading to a local night club to "pick up some chicks." JP and Sean both wanted to get back to their hotel and check in with their wives. Tommy and Jude were getting ready to walk to the local diner.

Soon after sitting down, Jude and Tommy had each ordered a milkshake and a side of fries. Back when Tommy lived in Toronto, they had done this once every couple of weeks to get away from the craziness of life at a studio. The whole way to the diner they had talked about the show. Jude told him how she had suggested a couple of chord variations in two of SME's songs and Tommy told her how much he loved being back on stage. He admitted that, as much as he didn't like the music he had to perform, the actual performance was amazing. "I can't wait for you to get on stage in front of thousands of fans—there will never be a feeling like it."

The smile on Tommy's face was so sincere, but Jude still had so many doubts. "Do you really think I can do it? I mean, will I really be able to perform for a crowd like tonight? Will people want to buy my music? Will they even like it?" The insecurity in Jude's voice was evident.

"Hey," Tommy said, taking Jude's hands across the table. "You are an amazing artist. Just because you haven't been signed doesn't make you less of one. And I know that you can do it. Just give it some time and you will be selling out arenas twice the size of tonight."

"But, what if..."

Before she could say another word, Tommy put a finger to her lips and told her "Quit worrying. You were born to make music. And you know that I will be with you every single step of the way."

Knowing she couldn't argue with him, Jude just nodded. "Thanks Tommy."

The two finished their meal and decided to walk back to the hotel. It was only about 4 short blocks, and they were both enjoying the fresh air. Tommy grabbed Jude's hand and smiled down at her. They stopped walking for a moment and he told her, "I'm glad we're doing this together, Jude. I seriously missed you in New York." He hadn't planned on saying anything, but in that moment, about a block away from the hotel, he couldn't not say something. He was overwhelmed by being with her again.

Jude was slightly taken aback by Tommy's statement. He had never been one to talk about his emotions, but she couldn't help but agree with him. No one understood how important Tommy was to Jude. When he left for New York, it was truly like a part of her had left too. Sure, she survived; between producing, school, and playing with the guys she didn't have much free time. And often, any spare time she had was spent on the phone with Tommy, but it wasn't the same. When he left two years ago, Jude know that she had strong feelings for him. But it wasn't until she visited him in New York City did she realize that she loved him. Tommy had taken Jude to some of the sights—the Brooklyn Bridge, Central Park, the Guggenheim and more. They were standing at the top of the Empire State building and Tommy was telling Jude about his latest failed date. He told her that he and the girl just didn't have a connection. Jude had teased him, asking "Well, if she was hot and a good lay does it really matter if you had a connection?" He had laughed, but soon got serious. Looking at her he had said, "Jude, you know what I mean though. I don't want to be some bachelor forever—I do want to find someone to love. I want to find someone that gets me. Someone that makes my music better, someone that makes me think about things, someone who knows when to joke around and when to be serious. I need to find someone who is like...my other half." After that, Jude understood what he meant; but, she had already found that person. Tommy was the one who made her music better, who knew just what to do and what to say. That was the day that Jude had realized for the first time she was in love with Tom Quincy. After that realization, it was even harder for her to go about her life in Toronto. Her only escape was music—especially when she got to share it with Tommy. So when she found out that he was coming home, Jude was ecstatic. _Its like my other half is back_, Jude thought to herself. She sensed Tommy's eyes on her and turned to face him. From his expression, it was clear that she had said that last comment out loud.

"I mean, my other half, like my partner in crime. You know, because we're like the dynamic duo—we work well together. You taught me what I know about producing. You know what, forget what I said, I was just being..."

Jude's rambling was cut off by a searing kiss. She was startled at first, but quickly responded, moving her lips against his. Tommy was surprised by her actions, stopping the kiss briefly to look at her. But, after seeing at the honesty and vulnerability in her eyes, he pulled her close and crashed his lips to hers again. After exploring her lips, he wanted more and tentatively moved his tongue to her bottom lip to see if they could go further. Jude immediately responded, opening her mouth to him. Their tongues dueled in a fiery passion; Jude couldn't seem to get enough of him—kissing him was just like she had imagined. At this point, he had grabbed her ass and picked her up,; holding her as close as possible, Tommy shoved her against the wall of the nearest building. She gasped at the contact her back made with the cold, hard surface. That noise was enough to stop Tommy's assault on her mouth and body.

"Uh..." he let her down from his grasp. "Sorry, uh...about that."

"Right...yep." That was all Jude could manage as she tried to regain her breath. She tried to sneak a glance at Tommy, but he caught her.

"I am sorry. You just wouldn't stop talking. You kept going on and on..."

Before he could continue, Jude placed another kiss on his lips. "I get it, okay? Let's just get back." She was having a hard time processing what had just happened, and didn't want to hear Tommy say that they should forget about it or that it was a mistake. She grabbed his hand and started walking in the direction of their hotel.

She had only taken one step when Jude felt him tug at her hand. "Babes, don't walk away like that." He took a step closer to her and held her face in his hands. "You are like my other half too." He kissed her softly, almost lovingly, and grabbed her hand. "Let's get back."

The rest of the way back to the hotel Jude had been in shock. For a minute, she had felt like it was so real. That kiss had set her on fire, and now, nearly an hour and two showers later, she hadn't cooled down in the slightest. She was laying on her stomach, topless because the wall had scratched her back through her shirt, and all she could do was replay that kiss in her mind.

…

Down the hall, Tommy was sitting on the bed in his room thinking about what had happened with Jude earlier. How could he kiss her like that? Why did he kiss her like that? She had looked so beautiful in the glow of the streetlamp, and he was so thankful to be near her again. That, on top of the fact that he was thinking about his morning fantasy all day meant that he went for it and kissed her. The most confusing thing was that, when he kissed her, it was the best kiss of his life by far. And, had he not hurt her back, he probably would have tried to take her right there, against the side of that building. What had gotten into him?

What really worried him was the way he had left things. She had gone to her room without saying a word to him. He didn't want this to change things. He needed her too much—she was his rock. With that thought in mind, Tommy got up and went to her room. "Babes, let me in."

Jude opened the door to her room holding the comforter from her bed to her chest. As she turned around to lay down on her bed, Tommy saw the scratches on her back. "Oh sweetheart." The angry red marks were not too bad, but he could tell they were a bit painful. Before he did anything else, Tommy grabbed the little container of lotion from the bathroom and sat down next to his girl on the bed. Pouring some of the lotion in his hands, he warmed it up before carefully rubbing it on her back. He didn't say anything until he finished, not wanting to take away from making her feel better. He went back into the restroom to wipe off her hands

Once he was done, he heard a faint, "Thanks." from the bed. He went back into her room and sat next to her on the bed. Because her head was not facing him, Tommy asked her to face him. Once she complied, he told her, "I just want you to know that I meant what I said earlier. You are like my other half. I don't know what I would do without you...especially right now—you are my anchor." While he said this, Tommy rubber her sore back. "Jude, I don't regret that kiss. I don't know what it means, but I don't want you to regret it either." She looked him in the eye and he could see the tears ready to fall.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive." Tommy responded without hesitation. "Now scoot over so we can get some rest. We have to leave at 7:30 tomorrow and it's already almost 1:00 in the morning."

Jude scooted a little to the side so Tommy could have some room and got under the covers. Tommy followed quickly and held onto Jude as they drifted to sleep.

…

The next morning, Jude was so tired that Tommy had to nearly carry her to her bus. Still not wanting to leave her for too long, Tommy stuck his head out the bus after getting Jude settled and told Chaz that he would catch up with them later. Instead of responding to Chaz' knowing smirk, Tommy just went back onto SME's bus. The guys were surprised to see him there, but once they saw his expression, they turned back to their video game and let the couple be by themselves. Tommy knew that physically, Jude would be fine. But he didn't want things between them to be strange or awkward. So, he made sure that, as soon as she woke up, he would be there and they could go back to being Tommy and Jude—best friends, musical gurus, and perfectly content when together.

Living the Dream, Chapter 2

12/10


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The drive to Toronto was a long one—over 9 hours. Thank goodness they had started driving as soon as the last show was done! Jude was glad that they had a chance to look around Chicago before the concert, because once the guys were done performing, they were all excited to get back on the road. Everyone was exhausted and had fallen asleep as soon as they loaded the buses at nearly midnight. They had been going nonstop for nearly 3 months, touring all over the US and Canada. Jude had loved seeing all of the amazing (and not so amazing) places, but was beyond ready to get back to her house..she couldn't wait to talk to her sister and Kwest, sleep in her own bed, get coffee from her favorite diner...the little things that she had missed while being away for so long. The buses and vans were about an hour from Toronto, and Jude was thrilled—she couldn't wait to sleep in her own bed.

At 7:00am, Jude had been awoken by Tommy's rendition of "Take me out to the Ball Game." The tour had spent an extra day in Chicago and she had spent the day touring the city with Tommy. Just before grabbing some food, the two had gone to Wrigley Field, where he had felt inspired to scream the song at the top of his lungs. During the second chorus he had stolen her phone and recorded himself, setting it as her ringtone. Thankfully, their conversation that morning had eased her annoyance at the obnoxious song. Tommy had called to see if she needed a ride home that morning when they got back. When she grumbled into the phone some unintelligible comment, he told her that he needed her help on a melody he couldn't get out of his head. Once he started humming said melody over the phone, Jude was up—his voice tended to do that to her. His music and his voice had this effect on her that, no matter where she was, when she heard it, Jude could only focus on him. Nonetheless, they had finally worked out the perfect melody and chord variations after an hour and hung up.

Jude smiled thinking about the song they had worked on. Though there were no lyrics yet, Tommy's intuition had been spot on and she knew that the song would be a hit if it were ever released—no matter what the words said. Jude though she should probably get up and ready before the Spied, Wally, and Kyle woke up and destroyed the bathroom. That was another thing Jude couldn't wait to get back home for—her own shower and a bathtub. Smiling at the thought, she rolled over in her bunk and grimaced at the slight pain. Jude forgot that she wasn't completely healed yet.

About ten days before, the tour had landed in San Francisco, California. The night before the concert, Jude and Tommy had gone to a local bar. He was frustrated with Chaz because, per usual, his bandmate didn't want to change anything about the Boyz Attack sound. Tommy had though about introducing a new song to the set list, and Chaz had flipped out. When Tommy had asked the guys to just listen and tell him what they though, Chaz had thrown the CD player on the floor of the bus and broken the CD, then throwing it back at Tommy. He, in turn, hit Chaz in the arm, but before things could escalate too much more, Jude had walked on the bus. She immediately saw the rage emanating off of her best friend, and, before another word could be spoken or punch thrown, dragged him off the bus. They had walked almost a mile before Tommy spoke a word.

"He just doesn't get it." he growled. "We look and sound like fools if we keep doing the same songs with the same lame-ass moves. I can't believe he would be so closed-minded...and he says he loves music!" Though he had cooled down slightly, Tommy was still riled up.

Jude could tell that he was frustrated—upset because he felt like his musical integrity was being questioned. She did the only thing she knew would calm him down. "I know Babe." She made him stop walking and put her hands on his arms, running them up and down slowly.

Tommy was taken aback by her simple statement, but when he looked at her, he knew she understood. "He just..."

Before he could get another word out, Jude put her hand over his mouth, stopping him. "I know. Chaz doesn't have a clue." She saw Tommy's eyes soften slightly and gave him a mischievous smile. "Now what do you say we go get drunk?"

Grabbing her hand, Tommy grinned and told her, "That sounds perfect." When Jude didn't move, he tugged her after him, saying "Well, let's go...we don't have time to waste!"

Hours later, Jude and Tommy were both drunk. They had just left their 3rd bar, and both were feeling their alcohol. Walking down the street to find a taxi to take them back to their hotel, Tommy saw a tattoo parlor and told Jude they should each get one. She was far enough gone that she agreed, so they quickly walked in. Tommy spoke with one of the artists and they quickly sketched out a scripted design. One of the other artists came up to Jude and asked what she wanted. Not sure what to do, Jude pulled out her trust notebook—she always carried it with her because you never know when inspiration would hit. The notebook opened to her most recent song, one she had kept hidden from Tommy. Jude knew that this is what she would get inscribed on her body.

Over the past few weeks, Jude's feelings for Tommy never wavered. If anything, they grew stronger. Over the course of the tour, the pair were always together—constantly joking around, making music, and never leaving the other's side. Tommy had been more and more "touchy" with her, always stroking her hair, peppering her with sweet kisses, and holding her hand. They had only spent a total of seven nights apart from eachother: once when Jude was sick, a couple of times when Tommy was sick, and the other times when Jude took care of SME when they were completely wasted—they were still learning how to handle their alcohol on tour.

It was in those feelings for Tommy that this song was born. She had started it a month ago, and had just finished it within the past couple of days. She was truly grateful for Tommy's friendship—regardless of it things between them would move forward, Jude knew that she would be lost without Tommy by her side. She had said it before and when say it again, Tommy was her rock. He was her anchor and guide in the craziness of her life. Because of that, Jude pulled out some of her favorite phrases and told the gal tattooing her exactly what she wanted.

Thus, the pain Jude was feeling. She had decided to place her piece of art on her pelvis, just below the line of her jeans. The area was still pretty sore, but she had been able to take the bandage off about a week ago. Jude After they had left the tattoo parlor, it had started to rain, and Tommy and Jude ran back to their hotel, only about six blocks. When they finally arrived, Tommy had stopped them just outside of the building and hugged Jude. She held him, careful of his newly tattooed arm, and sighed, breathing in his unique scent and embracing the moment.

"Thanks." Tommy held her a bit tighter and continued, "Only you would know exactly how to make me feel better. Thank you for taking care of me."

In that moment, Jude had been surprised. Tommy didnt' usually share his feelings like that; she attributed it to the alcohol and looked him in the eyes. Being that she was still a bit affected by their earlier drinking, she was overwhelmed and had a serious desire to kiss him. Before she could do anything though, he leaned down and connected his lips to hers. Despite the rain outside, Jude was filled with heat—one she had only experienced a couple of times before, all with him. She greedily asked permission to enter his mouth, which he immediately answered. Minutes later, they broke apart. Only then did she feel his erection pressing against her tattooed hip, and the pain registered. Not knowing how to handle the moment, she had looked at him with wide eyes and turned. Tommy didn't let her get away though, grabbing her arm and pulling her to his side. They didn't say a word, but walked into the hotel arm in arm. The rest of the night, nothing was said between them—Jude hadn't been sure if it was because she was trying to hold onto the moment or because they were confused, but pushed her questions aside and fell into bed beside him.

Now, over a week later, that kiss still hadn't been mentioned and she forever had the words "as the world keeps spinning round, you hold me right here right now" written on her. As she went into the small bathroom, Jude smiled at the words and how they looked on her. It may be crazy to have evidence of her love for Tommy permanently inscribed on her, but it was okay. They were also proof of their friendship, one that she wouldn't trade for the world. With that as her final though, Jude hopped in the shower, humming her song, and got ready for whatever the day would bring.

…

Finally, the two buses and van pulled into the G Major parking lot. It was nearly 10:00am, and everyone, roadies and technicians included, were ready for a break. Tommy got off the bus he shared with the rest of Boyz Attack and stretched, trying to work out all of the kinks he incurred while on the road.

He was completely stoked to be home. It may only be for a week, but being able to sleep in his own bed and spend time with Jude while not helping to set up a concert hall. He was excited to see Kwest too, but he couldn't wait to spend some real time with his girl. Just then, he saw her stepping off SME's bus. He didn't know it was possible to look that good after spending 3 months on the road and rooming with those boys. She was just in a long sleeve shirt that looked suspiciously like one of his, a pair of jeans, and her beat up black converse; but the way she was standing there, he forgot to breathe for a moment. She turned to him and smiled, and that just about knocked him off his feet. It was the slap on the back from Chaz that startled him to movement again. He smiled at the beaming girl across the lot and started unloading the bus.

Around noon, the buses and van were unloaded and everyone was heading their separate directions. Kwest and him were headed to a jewelry store, and Tommy knew what that meant: Kwest was proposing. Everyone had already been invited to the Harrison home—where Kwest lived too—for dinner tonight, and Tommy had expected this for a long time. Kwest and Sadie had been dating for about 5 years now, and he had moved into her and Jude's home a few years ago when their dad moved out for his promotion. To be honest, Tommy was surprised it hadn't happened sooner. Nonetheless, he was excited for his friends. Just because he hadn't found the girl that gave him butterflies or the one he could make music with or the one who just seemed to get him and fit with him didn't mean that he didn't still have hope. He knew that one day he would find that girl, it just hadn't happened yet—he was still searching for his other half.

Realizing how girlie his thoughts sounded, Tommy shook his head and looked out the window of Kwest's car. He was amazed to see that they had already spent twenty minutes in the car and they had arrived at the jewelry store. Walking in, Tommy shook hands with Angelo, the owner of the boutique. He had known Angelo for years, and they had a semblance of friendship. Every once in a while the two men would grab a beer or go dinner. While Kwest was waiting for his ring to be brought out, Tommy took a look around. As he was browsing the cases, he came across an amazing ring. It was a two and a half carat asscher cut diamond surrounded by onyx stones. The band was encircled by pave diamonds; in total, the ring was almost 3.5 carats. Tommy asked one of the associates to see the ring, and was speechless when he got to hold it in his hands. Angelo came over to him and told Tommy that he had found the ring at an estate sale over a decade ago—no one had even come close to buying it, but Angelo held onto it because he knew that someone would love it one day.

Kwest wondered over to his friend and looked at the ring in his hands. "Thinking of getting engaged, Tom? And can I ask who the lucky lady might be?"

Tom rolled his eyes at his friend. "You know I'm not dating anyone. But look at this ring, man. Its incredible!"

Kwest looked over Tommy's shoulder and saw the ring he was holding. "Well, its different..." He let the word trail off. The ring was certainly unique—but Kwest didn't know anyone who could appreciate it.

Tommy hit his friend on the arm. "Come on, Kwest! Can't you just see Jude wearing it? She would flip over this!" Tommy turned the ring in his hand once more and jerked his head up. "Angelo. How much is the ring?"

Kwest had been shocked by Tommy's words. Surprise was evident in his eyes and he shared a look with Angelo as he walked over to the two friends.

"Oh, this ring? Well, it would normally retail for nearly $100,000. The diamond is a very good cut, E color, and VVS1 clarity—in and of itself, it is a piece of art. But because we know eachother, and because you clearly have a special girl in mind, I can give you a better price. Give me a minute." Angelo went to the back room and grabbed some paperwork.

Meanwhile, Kwest looked at Tommy in shock. "What the hell are you doing? You can't buy Jude a ring if it isn't accompanied by a very specific question!"

"Why not? You know how great she it!" Tommy was thouroughly confused. "I'm not going to give it to her right now, but wouldn't it be great once she wraps her first album, or something. I mean, she has to have it. If any piece of jewelry is worthy of Jude, its this ring." Tommy didn't understand what the big deal was. Why couldn't he give the ring to Jude? She would totally love it. He would just put it aside and save it for the perfect time.

"Man, you just don't give a girl a ring when you aren't proposing."

"Whatever. I'm getting it. I'll give it to her some time." At that point, Angelo came out to the front of the store and handed Tommy the paperwork. He finished paying and boxed up the ring. With that, Kwest and Tommy walked back out to the car to head to the Harrison home. Stuart was coming into town for Kwest's proposal, and decided to spend some extra time with his girls. Tommy knew that Jude was super excited to see her dad, but she was anxious at the same time. She had always had an amazing relationship with her dad—even though there were some hard times amidst the divorce when she found out he was cheating. They talked on the phone once a week, but to be in the same house with him for a few days would be new—she hadn't done that in nearly three years.

...

A mile from Jude's house, Kwest pulled to the side of the road and stopped the car. Tommy was shocked, turned to his friend, and asked, "What's going on? Is the car okay?" Tommy had no clue why his friend would do this.

"Dude, I have to ask...did something happen between you and Jude on tour?" Kwest had been contemplating how to bring this up. He had seen the look Tommy gave to Jude when they got off the buses this morning. He had also talked to his friend a few times during the course of the tour. At least once during each phone call, Tommy had mentioned how amazing Jude was. And, Kwest couldn't seem to forget the time a couple of weeks ago when Tommy said something about the kiss under his breath. He had always known that Jude had feelings for Tommy, but lately, it seemed as though those feelings might be two-sided.

"What are you talking about?"

Kwest could see Tom's expression, and it certainly wasn't one of innocence. "I knew it! Something happened! What did you do?"

It took Tommy a minute to respond. "Honestly?"

…

How the hell was he supposed to answer that question? Kwest was one of his best friends...but he was also like a brother to Jude. Glancing at his friend, Tommy knew he had to tell what had happened—Kwest had that determined look in his eye.

"Well, you know how excited I was to come home. I missed you guys...I missed Toronto. I missed Jude." He said the last phrase more quietly, not embarrased for his feelings, but not sure how Kwest would respond.

"We all knew that, man. But there has to be more."

Tommy continued, "Right. But its more than that. I mean, yeah, I missed her, but..." Be paused again, but spoke again after a moment, "The first morning we were on tour, I had this dream. It was so real...like I could really feel everything that was happening. And then we had this kiss a few weeks ago in San Francisco. It was just so perfect, but that could have been the alcohol. I mean, we got tattoos that night, so we certainly weren't sober. But it was just so..."

Kwest's stunned expression gave evidence to his shock. His best friend had never talked like this before. He refocused on Tommy again as his friend continued.

"And how could I forget about her birthday."

At that, Kwest exclaimed, "What?"

"Well, we had a night off in New Orleans and so Jude thought it would be fun for everyone to go out. Its a big deal in the States to turn 21, so we thought it would be fun to have a bit of party. We all dressed up to go out—and damn did she look good in that dress." At that comment, Kwest glared at Tommy. Quickly, he moved on, "Anyways, SME made up put on this birthday crown, so everywhere we went, she got free drinks. Anyways, by the end of the night, she was a bit smashed. I was helping her get back to the hotel and she started to feel sick, so we stopped at this bench by the water. After a while, she told me that she loved me. I don't think she knew what she was saying, but then she gave me this look. I couldn't help but kiss her. And then she kissed back and we ended up making out for a while."

In reality, they had done more than make out. After Jude told him she loved him, he had been shocked. The funny thing was, when she said it, he almost said it back—and he never told anyone that he loved them. So instead, he kissed her. She had crawled on his lap, making him groan in delight. She felt so perfect sitting there, and then she started grinding into him. His erection had gotten even larger, and he wanted more. The noises she was making sounded like music to him, signaling that she was enjoying herself just as much. In a quick move, he flipped her over laid her down on the bench. Crawling in between her legs, they continued their kiss—tongues dueling, hands roaming. He saw a glimpse of her thigh as her dress crept up her leg, and he couldn't help but wanting to feel it. His hand found her thigh and his control was gone. He let his hand roam up her thigh to cup her ass, realizing that she wore a pair of lace boy shorts. He could imagine how perfect she would look in them—like that morning in Montreal. She pushed her center towards him, and the friction caused him to nearly come at that moment. Barely able to breathe because of their continued liplock, Jude had pulled away for a moment. The brief separation was enough to startle them to the reality of the situation, and they quickly righted themselves—sitting up, smoothing their clothes. Without another word, they had walked back to the hotel. The rest of the night, barely a word was spoken between the two. She had ended up falling asleep in his room, wrapped in his arms, and they had continued on the next day as if nothing had happened. That's how the rest of the tour had been—until the night in San Francisco, that is.

A smack on the shoulder brought Tommy out of his memory, and he looked at Kwest. "What the hell was that for?"

"You were lost in a memory...one I don't think I want to hear about." The guilty look on Tommy's face was enough to convince Kwest. Before he thought too much about it, he asked, "So, what does this mean?"

"I don't know? I missed her so much while I was in New York. But you know me. I'm not a relationship kind of guy, right? Besides, what Jude and I have is special—I can literally tell her anything. I mean, she even gets my music, man! I think we were both just a bit lonely, and acted out because of that. She'll always be my number one though...you know that." After another pause, Tommy slapped Kwest's shoulder and said, "Let's go, dude. Your soon-to-be fiance is waiting."

Kwest had no response, so just put the car in drive and continued toward their girls' homes.

…

Later that night, five surrounded the dinner table in the Harrison home. Stuart sat at one of the head's of the table, Jude sat next to Tommy, and Sadie sat next to Kwest. Conversation had been flowing constantly: Jude and Tommy were regaling the others with tour stories—there were many because of the crazy antics of Spied, Wally, and Kyle. Sadie and Kwest shared about G Major news, and Stuart told them all about his recent girlfriend, Anna. Dinner had finished and the five were getting ready for dessert. Stuart went into the kitchen to grab the berry cobbler he had made, and smiled at the thought of the evening. He could see how happy Sadie and Kwest were. Stuart was thrilled that Kwest moved into the house when he had been transferred a few years ago. He could see how well the young man took care of his oldest daughter. Jude had shared her news of being a recording artist, and he was thrilled that she had the opportunity. He had always known his younger daughter was amazingly talented, but to finally have the chance to do what she loved was wonderful. Stuart was also grateful for Tommy. He knew the boy held a special place in Jude's life, and he was glad that he had moved back to Toronto, especially knowing that Kwest would be proposing tonight.

Stuart put the dirty dishes into the sink and grabbed the dessert and plates. Heading back into the dining room, he placed the items on the table and smiled at his girls. Somewhere deep inside, he knew that this would be his family—Sadie and Kwest, Jude and Tommy, maybe him and Anna. Seeing the nervousness in Kwest's expression, Stuart knew that it was time. He hopped back in the kitchen to grab the champagne and set it on the table, knowing it would come in handy. Giving Kwest a smile, he nodded to the young man, encouraging him to continue.

Kwest took a deep breath and stood up. Stuart barely paid attention to the short speech his to-be son-in-law was giving, instead looking at the bright smile and shining eyes on Sadie's face. Had he looked at Jude, he would see the superficial smile hiding the panic and anxiety she had. He also would have seen the way that, when Tommy put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her to him, she relaxed a small amount.

A few moments later, the engagement was official, champagne was popped, and the happy couple couldn't stop smiling. Stories were being shared about them, and Stuart knew that this was a marriage that would last.

…

Jude was still in shock. She knew that Kwest was going to propose to her sister. To be honest, she was surprised that he hadn't done it sooner. But, as selfish as it was, she was sad. Jude knew that, when she got back from the Europe/Asia tour, she would have to find a place. And on top of that, she was alone. No, Jude didn't mean to be dramatic, but that is how she felt. Sadie and Kwest had eachother, her dad had a new girlfriend and didn't live in the area anyways, Wally and Kyle lived together and spent all of their time together, Spied had a new girlfriend that he seemed to spend all of his time with...and that left Tommy. Sure, the two of them spent all of their time together, but he would never care for her the way she cared for him. In realty, Jude didn't think she would care for anyone he way she loved Tommy.

Still, she was excited for Sadie and Kwest. Anyone could see how happy they were...how happy they made eachother. The feeling of a strong arm wrapping itself around her instantly comforted her. She looked at Tommy and smiled. He seemed to know exactly what she needed. And he knew in that moment that she needed him.

Jude couldn't imagine herself getting married. Not that she didn't want to—she couldn't wait to wear a white dress and have her man waiting for her at the end of the aisle. The problem was that she didn't think the man she wanted would ever want to marry her. In all the time Jude had ever imagined herself getting married, she had only ever seen one man waiting for her. Before she could get anymore upset, Jude pushed those thoughts aside and shared in the story telling.

Hours later, Jude waved to her father as he left for his hotel. Wanting to give Sadie and Kwest time to celebrate in their own way, Jude had asked Tommy if she could stay at his house. He had gladly agreed and they had just packed a bag for her to bring over. She had told Kwest and Sadie that once they returned from tour, she would find herself an apartment. They were quick to tell her she was welcome to live with them. But Jude was convinced that this would be good. She was a 21 year-old soon-to-be part-time recording artist/amazing producer, it was time for her to get her own place.

…

It was Friday, then end of the weeklong break from the world-wide tour, and Tommy was waiting for Kwest to come over. Tomorrow he would be leaving with his bandmates, Jude, and SME, and this was his last chance to have some "man-time" with his longest friend. The week had been crazy. Sadie had been in "Wedding Planning Mode" full force—making everyone be a part of things; Chaz had been trying to get him to go out and find women; Darius had been on his back making sure he was ready to take over the studio in a few months. And, to top it all off, Tommy hadn't gotten any time with Jude because she was spending time at the studio at nights after wedding planning with Sadie. He had seriously been looking forward to relaxing with Jude this week, but that had barely happened. It was funny, for two years Tommy hadn't gotten to spend so much time with her, but now that he had, he couldn't get enough.

Hearing the knock at the door, Tommy grabbed the extra beer from the kitchen counter. He opened the door and let Kwest in with a "Hey Buddy!" and a slap on the back. "Come, sit." Kwest grabbed his beer from Tommy and followed him to the living room.

Kwest asked about the bag in the corner, thinking it looked like Jude's. Tommy nodded, telling him that she had crashed at his place a couple of nights to give him and Sadie some space.

"Where else is she sleeping? She hasn't been home all week?" Kwest was truly curious. The only time he had seen Jude all week was when she was helping to put together wedding details.

"What do you mean? I thought that she was at your place. I mean, I know she was going to the studio, but what about after that?" Now Tommy's curiosity was getting the best of him. He had been lamenting about how he rarely saw Jude this week, and to hear that she wasn't home had him confused. In addition, Tommy remembered the first night they were home and how Jude had been yelling, "Don't leave me!" in her sleep.

"I think she was going over to the guy's rehearsal space. They have a whole room set up at the back, and they let her stay there every now and then."

"How come she never said anything? Why wouldn't she tell me? Better yet, why didn't she just stay here?"

"I don't know, man." Kwest wondered why his friend was so bent out of shape about where Jude was staying. "Let's get to the game." With that, they turned on the television, talking every now and then, but truly enjoying each others' company. However, Tommy's thoughts were on Jude, and why she didn't stay with him more.

…

Jude was spending her last free night in the studio—again. She had spent every night that week here, in studio C, writing and playing. After her sister had gotten engaged earlier that week, she had felt a sense of loss. She felt out of place and alone. Jude knew that she had friends and family who would be there, but for the first time, she really craved having a significant other right now. She wished that she had a home to go to with someone waiting just to see her.

The first night they were back, after the engagement, Jude had gone over to Tommy's to crash. They had played cards for hours, with games of "I Never" and "Truth or Dare" mixed in. After a few hours, they were exhausted, but content. Though they knew all of the major events in each other's lives, it was a fun way to find out random little details. They had put a movie on in Tommy's room—his room had a 42-inch widescreen HDTV—and Jude had fallen asleep wrapped in Tommy's arms. That night, she had a dream that threw her completely off balance.

She had been getting ready in a small room, wearing a white dress and with bare feet. Her sister had been there too, in a wonderful blue sundress that showed off a growing belly. A knock on the door signaled that it was time. Sadie led the way out, and the girls met their father in the hallway. The three walked to a magnificent set of double doors: old, weathered, and majestic. Sadie opened the door first, walking through and down the aisle to beautiful music. Stuart opened one of the doors after a moment, putting his elbow out for Jude to grab. They walked down the aisle, and it wasn't until then that Jude realized she was getting married. Melodic sounds were coming from the piano in the corner, and a dashingly handsome man was waiting at the end of the aisle for her. Finally, Jude and Stuart arrived to meet her prince, and, after a kiss on the cheek from her father, Jude turned to her man. It was him who lifted her veil, and it was then that she saw her best friend standing in front of her.

Butterflies filed her chest, and a sweet smile graced her face. Tommy interlocked their fingers, and led her to the alter to be married. It came down to the final "I Dos," and Jude looked at him. When he didn't say anything, she was confused. Her heart dropped and her big blue eyes got even larger with fright and anxiety.

Tommy looked back at her and simply said, "Jude, I can't. You are my best friend, but you know it isn't more than that." He took one of her hands and brought it to his face, kissing her palm. "And by the way, I have to go for a bit. Maybe we'll talk later though." At his last words, Tommy started fading from her sight. As if that wasn't enough, all of her family and friends started disappearing as well, one by one out of sight.

"Don't leave me! Don't leave me!" Jude's cries rang through the small chapel, sobs distorting her words slightly, but it didn't seem to do any good. She had woken up with Tommy shaking her, asking what was wrong. Realizing that it had all been a dream, Jude blinked a few times to clear her head and told him that she was fine, "It was just a dream." She knew he wouldn't believe her, so to cut off any further questions, Jude had gone down to his kitchen for some hot tea. When she came back to his room, he was nearly asleep, and when she crawled in next to him, he hugged her close. Jude had fallen into a restless sleep, but had gone to the SME's rehearsal space first thing that morning to think.

She knew that she loved Tommy, that was a fact. The problem was that she felt like she was getting too attached. She missed him whenever he wasn't around, and felt a sense of emptiness when he wasn't next to her. Jude knew that something had to change. That morning, sitting in the rehearsal space, Jude had decided that she had to separate herself from Tom Quincy.

And to be honest, the week had gone well, at least from other peoples' perspective. Jude, however, felt more lonely than ever. To process through some of her feelings, she had spent every evening in Studio C at G Major. Spied had shown up that first day and, after a lengthy jam session, told her to use the rehearsal space whenever she needed. Throughout the week, her time was filled with wedding planning—looking at dresses and flowers and cakes and themes. It made her that much more envious of Sadie, and that much more lonely.

So here she was, the last night before flying to Europe—London, to be exact—and she was sitting in the studio, alone. She started humming Alone, the Heart song from the 80s. And it was true, nights went by slowly when she wasn't with Tommy. She had always been independent, but it never mattered until Tommy came into her life. Jude thought about how, once Tommy showed up, her world was turned upside down. He would be forever in her heart, and, if she was lucky, she would be in the shadow of his heart. That phrase had stuck out at her, and away her mind went. A few hours later, she played what she thought the final version of the song would be.

_A falling star fell from your heart and landed in my eyes  
I screamed aloud, as it tore through them, and now it's left me blind_

The stars, the moon, they have all been blown out  
You left me in the dark  
No dawn, no day, I'm always in this twilight  
In the shadow of your heart

And in the dark, I can hear your heartbeat  
I tried to find the sound  
But then it stopped, and I was in the darkness,  
So darkness I became

The stars, the moon, they have all been blown out  
You left me in the dark  
No dawn, no day, I'm always in this twilight  
In the shadow of your heart

I took the stars from our eyes, and then I made a map  
And knew that somehow I could find my way back  
Then I heard your heart beating, you were in the darkness too  
So I stayed in the darkness with you

The stars, the moon, they have all been blown out  
You left me in the dark  
No dawn, no day, I'm always in this twilight  
In the shadow of your heart

The stars, the moon, they have all been blown out  
You left me in the dark  
No dawn, no day, I'm always in this twilight  
In the shadow of your heart

Jude sat back once she had finished and took a deep breath—maybe this would help to put away some of her feelings. She was ready to get back on the road with all of the guys. Jude promised herself that she wouldn't let herself get even more attached to Tommy. She had to create some distance in order to protect herself. Nonetheless, she wanted to show her newest song to Tommy. He didn't know how intimately he influenced her music, and, to be honest, she trusted him the most to give her honest opinions. She gathered her stuff and was ready to go to Tommy's. With any luck, she would find him not asleep and willing to listen. She knew Kwest was going over there earlier, she hoped she wouldn't be interrupting their "male-bonding" time. Jude grabbed her bag and put her guitar aside—she would pick it up tomorrow—and turned to leave the studio.

She opened the door, and was completely shocked. After a minute, she turned and went back in the studio. Tears were rolling down her face as she closed the door behind her and locked it. She sank to the floor, put her head in her hands, and sobbed. Nearly an hour later, she grabbed her things again and escaped the studio. Thankfully, the coast was clear, and she ran the whole way to what was her childhood home, but would not be hers for much longer.

…

Tommy listened to Jude sing and play what must be her newest song. She hadn't told him anything about it yet, but she may not have had a chance. He decided to go in, but wanted to wait until she was done—he could tell she was still on the first verse. A noise behind him made Tommy turn around. He saw Angie—someone he never thought would come across his path again. Angie was an ex-girlfriend. He had cheated on his prior girlfriend with her, but, in the end, they had been together for nearly a year—she was the one girl Tommy could say he was close to loving. But, he found out that she was cheating on him with one of the roadies Boyz Attack had, and on top of that, she had started drinking constantly and using coke. Just before leaving the band, Tommy broke things off with her. A few years ago he found out that she went to rehab to get clean, but beyond that, he didn't care. Seeing her standing before him was overwhelming and surprising.

"Angie?" he questioned. He stepped towards her a few feet as if to make sure she was real.

"Hey Baby," she slurred. "I've been in town for a few weeks to see you and finally found you." She stepped closer to him, making the distance between them only about a foot. Reaching her hand out, she caressed his arm. "I've missed you, Baby."

"Angie, what are you doing here?" A miniscule part of Tommy was excited to see the woman standing before him, but the majority was confused. Why would she search him out after all that time?

"Baby, I told you...I missed you! I've changed and things are different now." She grabbed Tommy in a tight embrace, of which he quickly freed himself.

"Things aren't different now, Ang. We've moved on; we're different people." He knew she was lying, he could smell the alcohol on her breath. Tommy was ready to go back to Studio C to see his girl, but was grabbed again by the woman from his past.

She turned him to face her, grabbed his face, and pulled him into a deep kiss. In his surprise, Tommy's mouth as open to protest, and Angie used that to her advantage, shoving her tongue in his mouth. In that moment, he was overtaken with the memory of what it had been like to be with her and kissed her back. When she sensed that, Angie pulled him even closer, wrapping her arms around him. Tommy held the back of her head, controlling her movement slightly, continuing the kiss.

Angie moaned in his mouth, always having loved the way he kissed her. The sound startled Tommy so completely that he ceased all movement. Realizing that the woman he held in his arms was not the one he cared about, he quickly stepped away. "Angie, what the hell was that?"

Not waiting for an answer, Tommy grabbed Angie's arm and dragged her toward the door. "You need to leave...now. I've moved on, and this is not okay." Tommy was completely shaken and still trying to process what had happened. He knew Jude was in the Studio, and for some reason, after kissing Angie, he felt like he was cheating on his girl. Regardless of how right or wrong that statement felt, Tommy knew that kissing Angie wasn't right. They were long done, and he would never be able to be with her again—she was a cheater and a liar.

Finally getting Angie out the door, he went back to Studio C to talk to Jude. But the closer he got to the door, the more clearly he could hear the sobs from the other side. His heart sank, and he wanted nothing more than to go in there, grab Jude, and tell her that everything would be alright. He knew she was having a hard time adjusting to the fact that her sister was engaged and she would be moving. On top of that, her whole life would be changing soon—she was going to record her own music. Tommy knew that was a lot for anyone to handle, he just hoped that she hadn't seen the little issue that had just happened with Angie. Sighing, Tommy tried the door and quickly realized it was locked. His chest ached as he listened to his best friend cry her eyes out. Nearly thirty minutes later, Jude had not moved from her place and Tommy decided to go home. He hoped she would come to his house for the night—he would be waiting with open arms. Turning from his station by the door, he walked out of G Major and quickly drove home.

…

Early the next morning, Sadie and Kwest found Jude sitting at the counter in the kitchen of their childhood home. She was drinking a cup of coffee and staring into the backyard with a blank face. After the couple had stood there for a while and still had no response from Jude, Sadie walked to her and rubbed her back.

Jude was startled by the sudden contact, and turned to her sister, "Oh, hey." Her voice was low and scratchy, and the redness on her face gave evidence to her tears. Her gaze quickly drifted back to her coffee.

Sadie was startled by her sister's look. Sure, Jude didn't really take care of herself when she was younger, but the past few years she had matured and truly come into her own. This side of Jude was a rarity that usually only came out when she was sick. "What's wrong, hon?"

Looking lost and confused, Jude glanced up from her coffee cup and simply said, "I love him." That solitary statement caused the tears to start rolling again. Sadie quickly locked her arms around her baby sister and held her close.

"Tell me what's going on," Sadie whispered.

That was all it took and Jude told Sadie and Kwest everything that she was feeling. She told them how much she cared for Tommy, how hard it was not to love him when he did sweet things for her. She told them about the kisses—one of which Kwest really knew about. She also confessed the wedding dream that had plagued her sleep, and the song she wrote the night before. She told them about the strange woman from the studio last night, and how her heart literally ached at the memory of their lips locked.

Surprisingly, the whole explanation only took twenty or so minutes, but they were some of the most emotional moments of Jude's life thus far. In a way, she felt like a weight had been lifted—it was freeing to confess the feelings she had hidden for so long. But, admitting to her love of Tommy also meant that Jude had to acknowledge how real those feelings were.

Sadie looked helplessly at Kwest, not sure how to help her baby sister who had never before seemed as lost as she did in that moment. She continued rubbing Jude's back, whispering words of encouragement and love; beyond that, there wasn't much she could do.

After another ten minutes of sweet words and simple contact, and Jude sat up. It was as if a switch had flipped, and she had decided to move on. She looked at Sadie with a small smile, drank the last sips of her coffee, and stood up. "Forget this! I am not going to spend the next three months being mopey and sad. We are going to some amazing places, and I am going to enjoy myself. I just can't let myself get too attached. I have to create a bit of distance, that's all." Jude got a determined look in her eye, and turned toward the stairs. "I'm gonna get ready, I have to be at the studio in..." she looked at the clock by the stove and shrieked, "ah! I have to be at the Studio in 40 minutes, and it takes twenty to get there. I'll say bye before I leave." The last part of her sentence floated to the kitchen from her place running up the stairs.

Sadie knew how independent Jude tended to be, and wasn't sure if her resoluteness was a way for her to regain control of the situation or how she really felt. She walked to her fiance and put her arm around him. "What are we going to do with them?"

Kwest kissed Sadie's forehead and shook his head. "I don't know. Why can't they admit how perfect they would be together? Hell, why can't they admit that there is more there than friendship?" Turning Sadie to face him, Kwest finished the conversation by saying, "Oh well...that's their problem. Let me make you some breakfast and then we'll say goodbye to Jude."

"You, my dear, have the perfect suggestion."

The two busied themselves in the kitchen and continued with their morning.

…

Hours later, the men of Boyz Attack, the boys of SME, Jude, and two other roadie/technicians boarded a flight for London, England. Jude sat in between the window and Spied, wanting to keep her distance from Tommy. _Let the next adventure begin_, she thought to herself.

Jude's tattoo lyrics are from _Lucky_, by Jason Mraz, feat. Colbie Calliat

Jude's songs from the studios are _Alone_, by Heart and _Cosmic Love_, by Florence and the Machine


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Just under two hours from London, Jude woke up to Spied poking her. "What?" She was irritated that he had woken her up—she had finally fallen asleep on a plane, something that never happened. Jude looked over at the lead guitarist who was sheepishly smiling at her. "Sorry for yelling, but what do you want?"

"Sorry, dude. But I know how much you love that pudding stuff, and the lady wouldn't let me get you one if you weren't up. Besides, now you can tell me what was going on earlier."

Jude smiled at how sweet he was, even if it was annoying at times. "Thanks." She ruffled his hair and accepted the pudding cup that he offered her. Leaning her head on his shoulder, Jude enjoyed her snack and sighed. Thinking over the last few days, she was quickly heading back into the midst of her sadness. Jude missed Tommy—she hadn't seen him as much as she wanted, but she knew it was better this way. Seeing him this morning had been hard, especially when he asked if you would sit next to him on the plane. As much as she had wanted to say yes, Jude knew that it would be better if she didn't, so she had grabbed Spied and told Tommy she had already promised to sit next to him. Thankfully, Spied was willing to go along with her, and pulled her on the plane after him.

He had known something was up—everyone saw how inseparable Tommy and Jude were. As soon as they were seated, Spied had asked what was going on. Jude had avoided his question, but knew how persistant Spied could be. He would keep asking until she told him what happened with Tommy. As much as Jude didn't want to tell anyone else what had happened, she took confidence in the fact that Spied was a good friend. They had known each other for over 10 years, and grown especially close when Tommy went to New York. Spied had been her confident in the past—especially in her frustration related to Sadie—and she knew he would keep her secrets.

The time had come to tell him what happened with Tommy. She could tell he was waiting for her spill—he had this determined look in his eye. "You really want to know what happened?"

Spied's eyes widened, as if to say "Duh!"

Jude chuckled. "Right." Taking a deep breath, she started, "Well, you know how much I missed Tommy when he left, right." When Spied nodded his understanding, she continued. "Oh course. So, I was totally stoked when he told me he was coming back. He said he was moving home, and I literally couldn't wait. For the two weeks after I found out, everything I did made me think of him. It didn't matter if I was watching TV or walking down the street or at work, but everything related to him. And then, he came and I got to pick him up at the airport...I was done for." Jude's desperation was coming through her words. The helplessness she had been feeling was coming back in full force. Looking at Spied's caring face, she sighed, "I love him, Spied."

At her confession, Spied held her close to him and rubbed her back. "I know, Dude. But why did things change now? I mean, you knew that you loved him before."

"That's just it. When he was in New York, nothing could happen. Sure, we would flirt and get to see each other every now and then, but I could handle it. The distance made it easier. And before, I was still too young, so I knew nothing could happen. But now he's back...and we're together all the time...and then we kissed." The shock on Spied's face registered in Jude's mind and she paused to tell him about the kisses she shared with Tommy. She continued tell her friend about Sadie and Kwest's engagement, and her fear of never finding someone to love her.

When she confessed that, Spied leaned back from her and grabbed her shoulders. "Jude, you know that you'll find that. You are amazing—and not just 'cause you can sing and have sick guitar skills. You are always so worried about those around you and care about your friends and family. You work incredibly hard, and you make everyone's music better." At his insistance, a small smile started to appear on Jude's face. Spied continued, "Let's make a deal, Dude. You rock—that's a given. How 'bout if neither one of us is married by the time we're 35, we'll get married to each other. We can have some fun, rock out all the time, travel the world...it'll be great. And you know I love ya."

"I love you too Spied. You are an amazing friend and I am totally blessed to have you around." After another moment, Jude smiled and nodded her head in agreement. "Sure, if that happens, we'll get married." Little did Jude know that Tommy had walked past in that moment, and only heard her last comment. Shock covered his face and clouded his vision, and he stumbled back to his seat, two rows behind Jude and Spied.

However, Jude was still in a tight hug with Spied and didn't see Tommy walk by. After agreeing to Spied's suggestion, tears had started pouring down her face. The thought of having to marry Spied because no one else would love her was depressing. She was grateful to Spied for his friendship, but her heart ached at the prospect that she would never get to marry the man of her dreams. She felt like life was not worth living if she didn't have Tommy by her side. Jude then thought of one day when Tommy would have someone else by his side. At that, her sobs got louder, and her despair greater. On top of all of that, Jude thought of the comment Tommy had made this morning before boarding the plane. She hadn't told Spied, but his words had truly affected her.

Before he had asked her to sit with him, Jude had asked what he was up to last night. He got this look on his face of pure panic, but pushed it aside. Jude had literally seem him debating whether to tell her or not, and when he spoke, she didn't know how to feel. "Oh you know; I hung out with Kwest for a bit and then ran by the studio."

"Oh?" Jude had responded. "That sounds pretty normal. Nothing too exciting...no last minute flings before tour?"

"Nope. Nothing exciting."

Jude had no idea how to feel. Did Tommy mean that the beautiful woman she had seen him kissing wasn't a fling but was more? Did he mean that kissing random girls was normal? Why didn't he tell her? Jude had been confused and sad. She had been trying to move past her feelings for him, but to hear him blatantly lie to her was hard. Even if he didn't love her, couldn't he be honest with her?

Because of the fragile state her heart was in, her conversation with Tommy nearly brought her to tears, and she had been relieved when Spied had shown up. Now, sitting on the plane in Spied's embrace, she was again struck with a determination to move on from Tommy. She knew that she would never fully get over him, but if she could learn to function without him, maybe she would be okay. With a determination, she sat up and told Spied her plan. He smiled in support, and gave her a high-five. "Sounds good, Dude. You know I'm here to help! Let Operation Help Jude Move On begin!" He raised his fist and let out a battle-cry.

Jude laughed at her friend and appreciated how upbeat he was. She pulled his arm down and suggested they play cards. About an hour later, the pilot announced that they were beginning their final descent into London. All of the G Major tour members got smiles on their faces as they were filled with excitement. This was the start of the rest of tour, and they were all hoping for an amazing three months.

…

As they were waiting to disembark the plane, Tommy was perplexed. Jude hadn't come to his place last night, and she had hardly talked to him at all this morning. He had texted her asking if she wanted a ride, but she refused and had arrived at the studio with Kwest and Sadie instead. She seemed to purposely avoid riding in the car he was in to the airport, and hadn't really spoken to him at all while they were waiting for their flight. At one point, she had asked about his night. She had a funny look on her face, and Tommy wasn't sure how to respond. He told her that he was just with Kwest and that he ran by the studio. At that point he had hoped that she would tell him about her new song. Instead, she questioned him further and then asked the question about "flings." Again, Tommy hadn't known how to answer her. She couldn't have seen him and Angie, could she? He had decided to play it cool and pretend like he hadn't even seen the woman from his past; because, in reality, Tommy wished the event with Angie hadn't happened.

He could clearly remember how her face had dropped when he told her it was "nothing exciting." She had immediately looked for a distraction, and then when he asked her to sit next to him—in the hope that they could figure out whatever was weird between them—Jude had grabbed Spiederman and told him they were sitting together. Something was clearly wrong, but what Tommy couldn't figure out was why Jude hadn't confronted him thus far. She was always honest and upfront—usually brutally so, and often impulsively so as well.

Tommy knew that the kid, Spied, had a crush on Jude, he had for a few years now, so it was no surprise when Spied had readily agreed to sit next to his girl. Just a few hours ago while they were in the air, Tommy had walked past the two and heard something about Jude agreeing to marry the guitarist. He had been close to grabbing the kid and taking his seat—someone needed to protect Jude, and Spied clearly wasn't. Thankfully, Tommy had refrained from doing so and just went back to his seat.

He tried to figure out how to fix things as he moved toward the front of the plane. Jude was still ignoring him, and had now put in a set of earbuds to ignore the rest of the world. Figuring that Spied wouldn't tell him what was going on, Tommy decided to call his longest friend, Kwest. After all, Jude had arrived with him and Sadie that morning, maybe he knew what was going on. Pulling out his phone, Tommy dialed his friend as he made his way to the baggage claim section with the rest of the tour members. He left a message for Kwest to call him and grabbed his couple of bags. Tommy saw Jude's bag coming around the turn and was about to grab it when someone else picked it up. Jude had donned a pair of large sunglasses and an oversize baseball hat that Tommy thought he recognized as one of his own. Her little guitarist friend brought her bag over and grabbed her arm, leading her outside before Tommy could say a word or get her attention.

_What the hell is going on_? Tommy thought to himself. He had to get to the bottom of this and knew that, right now, Kwest was his best option. He checked his phone once more to see if Kwest had called him back, and headed outside toward the waiting bus.

Once they had dropped their things in London, the group had split up and done some sight-seeing and walking around—no one wanted to sit after being cooped up on a plane for so long. Jude had left with Spiederman, Wally, and Kyle to go see the London Eye; JP and Sean went to stroll through the streets and grab some food; and Chaz and Bruno had decided if they could find some girls to occupy their time in London. Tommy had been left alone and decided to use the time to his advantage. After grabbing some food at a local pub, he had gone back to the hotel and played his acoustic—it was what helped him think and process his thoughts—while he waited for Kwest to call him back.

The ringing phone had startled Tommy out of his playing, but he had quickly answered. "Finally! Hey man." Tommy was relieved to hear from his friend. It had seemed like forever since he had decided to ask for his help, but after checking his watch, he realized it had only been a couple of hours since they left the airport.

He could hear Kwest chuckle on the other end of the phone before he responded, "Tom, what has your panties in a bunch?"

…

Kwest laughed under his breath hearing his friend on the phone. It was obvious that Tom was having a hard time, and Kwest had a feeling it had something to do with a certain blonde producer-turned-soon-to-be-artist who was on tour with his friend.

"Shut up. I just..." Tommy paused and Kwest knew that he was debating how to continue. Deciding that being straightforward would be the best option, Tommy asked, "What's going on with Jude?"

Kwest could hear the desperation in his friend's voice. "What do you mean? She seemed fine this morning." He knew that Jude wasn't fine, but he was curious as to what was going on with Tommy.

"She's not fine! She hasn't talked to me, like, at all this whole trip...she wouldn't sit next to me on the plane...she left with Spied and the other two kids...she's barely looked at me, man!" Tommy's pent up frustration came out, and Kwest couldn't help but smile. His friend was clearly attached to Jude—probably more than he realized. Once again, Kwest wondered if maybe Tommy even loved Jude. "Are you sure she wasn't just busy? I mean, you guys have a lot going on right now and you only had a couple of free hours today."

"No, man. She had been avoiding me. And you know how we are, if she was working, she would rope me into helping."

Kwest knew that was only partially true. Yes, if Jude had to work and Tommy didn't, he would help. But Kwest knew that was mainly because Tommy just liked being with "his girl." Jude would never have to "rope" Tommy into anything—she would just have to smile and Tommy would do just about anything. Knowing his friend was looking for help, Kwest thought about how much he should share. He knew that if he told Tommy that Jude loved him and was heartbroken to see him macking on some other woman, she would kill him. But, Kwest also knew that Tommy needed some help. "So, was this out of the blue? What happened the other night?"

A pause on the other end signaled to Kwest that Tommy was trying to remember all of the details of the previous night. "Uh...I guess it started at the airport. I mean, she didn't come by last night and we didn't go to the airport together, but that was when she started avoiding me."

"And what did you say?" Kwest felt like he was pulling teeth to get any information out of Tommy. No wonder he was having a hard time figuring out what was wrong—Tommy was dense.

"Nothing."

"Tom, clearly something was said; otherwise, Jude wouldn't be avoiding you. So, let me ask again, what did you say?"

"Seriously, it was nothing. She asked what I did the other night and I told her we hung out and that I went to the studio." Tommy paused, and then exclaimed a moment later, "Oh! She asked a random question about my flings. I told her I did nothing special that night. That was when she started acting weird."

Kwest could hear the confusion still in Tom's voice. Before he could stop, Kwest exclaimed, "You idiot! Of course she walks away when you lie to her. And what the hell, man? At least be honest with me! You can tell me when some beautiful mysterious woman shows up and starts making out with you." Now Kwest was irritated. Tommy was his best friend—he had never blatantly lied to him before. Silence greeted him on the other end of the phone. After another moment, Kwest had to make sure Tommy was still there, "Tom, man? You there still?"

"Ye...yeah. I know, but...wait! How did you you know about Angie?"

Tommy paused, as if waiting for a response, so Kwest explained, "how do you think I found out, Tommy? Jude told me. Actually, she told me and Sadie this morning before we took her to the studio. She told us how she saw you making out with some woman in the studio. On top of that, you know how lonely she's been feeling. I mean Sadie doesn't know it, but anyone who's close to her could see that she's not doing well. She didn't know who Angie was, but from how she described the girl, I assumed it was Angie. When did you start talking to her?" Kwest was seriously curious about Angie's presence in Tom's life.

"That's just it—it was only that one night. I went to the studio to find Jude—you know, after we talked I wanted to make sure she was okay. Anyways, she was playing this song and, I didn't want to interrupt, so I decided to go in after she finished. But before I could open the door, Angie was there and grabbed my arm. She told me how she missed me and that she's changed; but she hasn't! I could smell the alcohol on her breath and her eyes were fuzzy—she wasn't normal. It was so strange to see her again, but so irritating."

"That's all fine and good, but you kissed her...as in, on the lips! What happened!" There had to be more to the story than what Tommy had just told him. Kwest knew that Jude wouldn't lie about him kissing another woman.

"She grabbed me and kissed me; I tried to stop, but then she stuck her tongue down my throat. For a second it was like I was six years in the past and we were together, but even thinking of that didn't feel right. And then she made this noise...it was like everything was out of place. I felt like...I don't know." Clearly, Tommy was confused.

What Kwest didn't know was if Tommy's confusion was in regards to his feelings for Angie or because things felt "out of place." He needed more information. "Why did it feel out of place?"

After a very long moment, his friend answered in a small voice, "It felt like I was cheating on someone."

This was an interesting development, Kwest knew. "Who did you feel like you were cheating on?" A few silence-filled moments later, Kwest asked again, "Tommy, who did you feel like you were cheating on?"

"Jude." Kwest could hear a giant sigh. "It just felt like I shouldn't be kissing this lying, cheating, manipulative woman, especially when my best friend was in the other room, having a rough couple of days."

Kwest wasn't surprised by Tommy's answer, but still wondered why Tommy had lied to her about it that very morning. And then another question plagued him, "Why didn't you just go into the studio? And why didn't you tell Jude about Angie the next morning?"

"She locked the door. I tried to get in there and I was going to tell her all about it, but she locked it." Tommy paused again to take a breath, "as for why I didn't tell her today at the airport...I don't know. I think I was hoping that she didn't know and if I didn't mention it, she wouldn't know. Kwest, you know how much I wish that I could forget she was a part of my past."

And Kwest did know—Tommy was not proud of a lot of the things he did when he was younger. Angie was one of those things he wished that he could erase from history, largely because he had been so wrong about her. "I get it. But you know how Jude is. Even if she didn't see you guys, she would have wanted to know. And especially considering that she did know, she deserved your honesty. After her parents divorce that's become like, the **most** important thing to her."

"You're right man."

Kwest knew that Tommy felt bad for not telling Jude what happened. But he also knew how emotional Jude could be—especially right now.

Tommy's voice came through the phone, "be honest with me, Kwest. Can I fix this?"

"Of course you can!" He thought it was ridiculous that Tommy wasn't sure if he could fix his relationship with Jude after one problem. They had countless arguments and fights before, and yet, they had always found their way back to each other—that was how Tommy and Jude worked.

"Then how do I fix this?"

"Do what you do best and tell her how you feel. Write her a song, Tom."

"Can I do that again?"

Kwest was surprised at Tommy's question. He was one of the two people who knew that Tommy wrote his own music. "We both know that you haven't stopped writing, man. Just think about it." After that, the two spent a few more minutes speaking of what other things were going on in their lives. They evenutally hung up and Kwest sat back in his chair and sighed with a smile on his face. He knew that Jude and Tommy had a strange and complicated relationship. But he also knew that they were meant for each other. Kwest just hoped that they would figure it out sooner rather than later.

…

Tommy closed his phone after ending his conversation with Kwest. As much as he had tried to fool himself, Tommy had known since last night that it was a possibility Jude had seen him and Angie. Now that he knew for sure that she had seen them, the past day and a half made much more sense.

When it came down to it, Tommy knew that by lying to Jude, he had crossed a line. Honesty was the most important thing to her. When her dad cheated on her mom and asked her to lie about it, a part of Jude seemed to break. Another piece of her seemed to break when her mom left for a vacation with her divorce attorney and still hasn't come back. Sure, she had healed over time, but the scars were still there. Tommy knew that Jude's biggest fear was being left alone and lied to.

He decided to follow Kwest's advice and tell Jude how he felt—how sorry he was. Though he wasn't sure about the song idea, he did want to write down a few thoughts to clear his head. Grabbing his notebook and a pen, Tommy set to work, trying to make sure Jude would know how sorry he was. A few hours went by and suddenly, it was 11:00pm. Stunned, he looked back over his work and was shocked to see that his thoughts had transformed into a lyrics. He hadn't planned on writing a song because he didn't want to be too cliché. But despite those efforts, he was already thinking of chord variations and possible melodies. He even thought about when the percussion could come into play and how the bass would sound. As an after-though, Tommy also considered the possibility of having a violin playing a small part of the melody.

Shaking his head to rid him of his musical planning, Tommy set his notebook aside—after making a few more notes. He decided to try and find Jude the next morning before things got too crazy. If he could just tell her what happened, maybe she would understand. With that thought, Tommy stripped to his boxers and crawled into bed, missing the blonde that would often spend her nights with him. He never really understood how comforting her presence was. He hoped that tomorrow they would be back to being friends and could count on her presence next to him—providing him with the contentedness that only she could bring. Smiling in hope for tomorrow, Tommy finally drifted to sleep.

…

Jude was standing to the right of the stage as Spied, Wally, and Kyle ran by her after their set. It was their second night in London, and they were part way through the first of the three shows that would take place their. SME had just finished and the Boyz were on stage in the middle of their first song. Despite being surrounded by people, Jude was lonely. She had spend the past day in London nearly attached to Spiederman's hip, but she still hadn't really lessened her dependance and attachment on Tommy. After everyone had dropped their things off at the hotel, SME had dragged her along to see some of the sights. They went to the London Eye first, and ended up spending and hour on the thing—the boys had wanted to ride it twice because they wanted to make sure they saw the whole city. Sure, the guys were fun, and she had laughed when they had mooned people in the other cars, but it wasn't the same as how it would have been with Tommy.

Next, Kyle had wanted to go to the Tower of London to look at the swords and weapons, and then Wally had wanted to go to the zoo. Sadly, they had spent nearly 2 hours trying to get there, and it had already closed. Somewhat exasperated, completely exhausted, and ravenously hungry, Jude had demanded food. The four of them ended up meeting Chaz and Bruno at some pub close to their hotel, and everyone had their fill of fish and chips and pints of beer. Jude was annoyed by the girls Chaz and Bruno had found, so once she had eaten, she said goodbye to her buds and went back to the hotel. At least five times last night she had picked up her phone to call Tommy, but each time she stopped, reminding herself that he was possibly with someone else. Even if he wasn't seeing that woman, Jude had to remember that he lied to her—to her face. And, in addition, she had to prepare for when Tommy did find someone and she wasn't his number one girl.

She ended up falling into a terrible sleep at only 9:30pm. The next morning she had awoken to three boys jumping on her bed. She swore that they were like little children trapped in the bodies of 22-year-olds. Jude had barely been able to get her coffee before being rushed off to the O2 Arena to get ready for the performance that night. The day had been crazy—busy checking sound, equipment, cables, and the set-up. But on top of that, Tommy had tried to grab her three distinct times. Each time Jude had nearly given in and told him something funny that Wally had said or that Spied had instigated. But she was resolute and created some emergency that had needed tending to. As she watched him sing the songs from his past, Jude recalled Tommy's face when she told him she had to check on something. Nonetheless, she had walked away each time.

Despite her loneliness and missing Tommy, Jude smiled as she continued to watch the Boyz Attack performance. A whole different side of him came out while on stage—in a way, he came alive. She was engrossed while watching the rest of their show, going about her duties automatically and on autopilot. The benefit of ignoring Tommy today was that she knew the equipment she was working with like the back of her hand.

Eventually, the Boyz finished their songs and the show was over. Jude started performing her end-of-show duties and headed over to the stage wings. She had gotten in the habit of giving all of the guys water after they performed—just because she was avoiding too much contact with Tommy didn't mean she would shirk her duties. However, when all but one water bottle was handed out, Jude looked to see where the fifth member of Boyz Attack might be. She was shocked and confused to see her best friend still on stage.

Getting as close to the stage as she could without being seen by the audience, Jude observed what Tommy was doing. He had grabbed an acoustic guitar and a stool and brought them to the front of the stage.

"How's everyone doing tonight?" Tommy asked the crowd. At the cheers, Jude saw him smile and then heard him continue. "Good to hear. Tonight, we have a little bit of a surprise for you. This is a song I wrote recently and I hope you enjoy."

Before he started singing, Tommy glanced to the right of the stage where Jude was usually standing. Tonight being no different, Jude was just off stage watching his every move. Her confusion was evident by her wrinkled brow, but she didn't move. Her eyes were glued to Tommy, waiting to see what he had to say. Though she couldn't be sure, Jude secretly hoped that the song would be for her.

Tommy's rich voice coursed through the arena after a few moments of play. Jude listened closely to the words, trying to derive meaning from them.

…

Tommy was nervous as hell—pits and forehead sweating, slightly short breath, and eyes wide—but he knew this would be the only way to get through to Jude. After the third time trying to talk to her this morning, Tommy decided that playing the song was his last resort. Just before the show he talked to the guys about it and they all agreed that it would be fine. Then he made a dreaded phone call to Darius who, surprisingly, agreed to let Tom perform the song. With everything set, all he had to do now was sing. Taking a deep breath, he began singing after playing the beginning chords of his song.

_Will you listen to my story?  
It'll just be a minute  
How can I explain?_

What ever happened here  
Never meant to hurt you  
How could I cause you so much pain?

When I say I'm sorry  
Will you believe me?  
Listen to my story  
Say you wont leave me  
When I say I'm sorry  
Can you forgive me?  
When I say I'll always be there  
Will you believe  
Will you believe me?

All the words that I come up with  
They're like gasoline on flames  
There's no excuse  
No explaination  
Belive me  
If I could I'd undo what I did wrong  
I'd give away all that I own

When I say I'm sorry  
Will you believe me?  
_Listen to my story  
Say you wont leave me  
When I say I'm sorry  
Can you forgive me?  
When I say I'll always be there  
Will you believe  
Will you believe me?_

If I told you  
I've been cleaning my soul  
And if I promised you  
I'll regain control  
Will you open your door  
And let me in?  
Take me for who I am  
And not for who I've been?

Who I've been...

When I say I'm sorry  
Will you believe me?  
Listen to my story  
Say you wont leave me  
When I say I'm sorry  
Can you forgive me?  
When I say I'll always be there  
Will you believe?

When I say I'm sorry  
(When I say I'm sorry)  
When I say I'm sorry  
(When I say I'm sorry)  
When I say I'm sorry  
Can you forgive me?  
When I say I'll always be there  
Will you believe? 

The first thing Tommy did was look at Jude. He could only hope that the tears in her eyes were happy ones. Wanting to get back to his girl so they could finally talk and sort things out, Tommy quickly waved to the crowd, saying, "Thanks so much London, have a great night!"

With that, he promptly walked off stage, guitar in hand, and lightly grabbed Jude's arm once reaching her. He handed the guitar to a nameless stage hand and looked his best friend in the eye. "Babes, we are going to talk. You have been avoiding me for the past three days and it isn't okay. I miss you and..." Tommy paused and closed his eyes. Taking a deep breath, he told her what he should have the moment he got off stage. "Let me start over. I'm sorry. Now, we are going to get out of here, okay?"

Jude started to nod her agreement, but then shook her head. "No, we can't. You have to do autographs and meet and greets with the rest of the Boyz."

As soon as she began disagreeing with his earlier question, Tommy shook his head. "Nope. I don't care, I'm not doing that tonight—this is way more important. Now lets go; I have a taxi waiting at the back of the arena." Not waiting for a response, Tommy laced his fingers with hers and headed for the rear of the venue. They got into the waiting taxi and headed in the direction of their hotel. Not a word was spoken the whole drive, Tommy because he was nervous; Jude was quiet, he assumed, because of her confusion. Once they finally arrived at the hotel, Tommy didn't ask where they should go, but instead led Jude to his room. He knew for a fact that his view was amazing and that Jude would appreciate it once they sorted things out. Finally arriving at their destination, Tommy led his girl to the bed and motioned for her to sit. She did so, crossing her legs and leaning against the headboard. He followed suit, but placed himself at the foot of the bed, with one leg hanging off the side.

"So, what's the deal Tom?"

He cringed at the use of his first name. Tommy knew she was serious when she called him "Tom," and at that moment, he couldn't wait for time when he heard "Tommy" or any other endearment out of her sweet lips. "I need to confess something...and then I have some explaining to do." Knowing how emotional Jude could get, he added, "Can you try to just listen for right now? I promise to answer any question you have, but I need to just get through it." Using his best pout, Tommy questioned her with his gaze.

Jude just nodded her agreement and slightly readjusted her position, as if she was bracing herself.

"Okay. Well, you know that something happened at the studio the night before we left. I know that you saw that woman kissing me." Seeing Jude about to protest, he reached over covered her mouth with his hand. Giving her a look meant to keep her quiet, he continued. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but to be honest, she is a part of my past that I wanted to forget. I met her during my last year in Boyz Attack. I was dating Portia—you know, Darius' sister—at the time, but then I met Angie. She was beautiful and vibrant; everything she did was exciting, and she didn't care about Boyz Attack. I ended up getting together with her while I was still with Portia." Tommy could see Jude's shock and continued quickly so that the slightly disgusted expression would come off her face. "I know, I shouldn't have done it but she was intoxicating...I couldn't think straight when she was around. Anyways, I eventually broke things off with Portia so I could really be with Angie; and for a while, things were great. But then I realized that she was changing. She started partying more when we had to go to events, and soon she was inebriated all the time. About six months after we started going out, I found out she was cheating on me. Shocking, right? I shouldn't have been surprised, but I was. We worked it out and things continued—her getting plastered all the time, she started using coke, the cheating. At one point, she got me to try the cocain she had in some misguided attempt to convince me it wasn't a big deal. Though I never did that again, I did start drinking more. I was getting smashed with her a few nights a week and that prompted things going downhill with the band. But everything changed when Ang had a pregnancy scare. She didn't tell me until after she had an abortion, but that was the wake-up call I needed. I knew that, if I were ever going to have a kid, I would be a good dad. You know how shitty my home-life was growing up." Jude was one of two people who knew about Tommy's childhood. His dad was an abusive alcoholic who ended up abandoning his family when Tommy was 9. That caused his mom to start drinking, and a couple of years later, she had become verbally abusive all the time. Jude knew how hard Tommy worked to forget his past and move on from his crazy parents. "I decided that I needed to clean up my act and be better. The problem was that, when I tried to convince Angie to do the same, she started lying to me. A week later, I caught her with one of the Boyz roadies and I was done. Things with the band were awful and Angie was the last straw. I quit the band and came to work for Georgia. A year later you showed up and the rest is history." Having reached the end of his story, Tommy looked at the floor, not sure how his best friend would respond.

After a few moments, Jude reached out and grabbed his hand. "So, what happened the other night?"

"Oh." Tommy sighed, forgetting that there was still more to confess. "Uh, Kwest and I had hung out that night and he told me that you weren't spending nights at your house. He told me that you had been spending time at the studio and at SME's rehearsal space. You know that's a crappy part of town, Jude. I decided to go to the studio and tell you to stay at my place instead of going to that hell-hole. I heard you playing and I was going to listen, and then she showed up." Tommy couldn't hide the disgust he felt when thinking of Angie. Once again, she had made a mess of things. "She told me that she changed and that things were different, but I could tell that they weren't. No matter how many times she goes to rehab, nothing will change." Tommy barely registered that Jude squeezed his hand in encouragement, but felt a smidge better at her gesture. "She grabbed me and kissed me. I didn't know how to respond, but for like a millisecond, it felt like old times. But then I actually processed what was happening, and I couldn't do it. I pushed her away and told her to leave. I went to open the studio you had been in and it was locked. I could hear you crying and I hated that—I just wanted to make you feel better. I didn't tell you about it at the airport because I thought maybe you didn't see it. I think I knew that you really did see, but I was trying to hard to forget that, if I pretended that it didn't happen, maybe I could erase it from my memory." After another minute, Tommy took the hand that Jude hadn't already given him and looked her in the eyes, sincerity radiating off of him. "I am so sorry Jude. If I could take it all back, I would. I'm sorry for lying, and I'm sorry for hurting you." His final words spoken, Tommy looked down at their locked hands.

Jude removed her hand from his, and Tommy started to panic a little. He hoped that this wasn't a goodbye, but his thoughts were interrupted when a set of arms wrapped around him. He felt a slight wetness on his shoulder, and when he pulled back slightly, he saw tears coming out of his best friend's eyes. Panic started to set in again, but she grabbed his face and he couldn't think of anything but her beautiful features in front of him.

"Tommy, you need to stop beating yourself up over what happened in the past. Angie is a whore—don't base your worth on who she was or who she is now. You are amazing...and the fact that you decided to change at the thought of having a kid shows how amazing you are. I understand why you didn't tell me...and even though I hate it, I get it." She paused slightly, but before Tommy could say anything, she continued, "Tommy, you're so great, and you know I'd be lost without you. I don't care about your past, just be honest with me. You know I'm here for you no matter what." She started to hug him, but pulled back quickly, "And your song kicks ass. I mean, seriously, it was amazing!" At that, Jude embraced Tommy held him close to her.

In that moment, Tommy had never felt better. To know that she was okay and that she forgave him made everything alright again. After enjoying the moment and their closeness, he asked her, "But Jude, you have to be honest with me too. What's been going on the past couple of weeks?"

His girl pulled back from him and looked at the floor. Before she could deny anything or protest, Tommy told her, "Nope, I told, now you have to. What's going on?"

She looked at his determined face and scooted back. Laying down, she patted the spot next to her, motioning for him to join her. Once he laid down by her, Jude told him what had been going on. She explained how lonely she had been feeling and how scared she was about being left alone. Tommy's heart ached at the tears in her eyes and the shakiness of her voice. He hated seeing her so torn up. Jude continued confiding her fears. Subsequent to finishing her story, Jude's silence was overwhelming. Tommy wrapped his arms around her and just held her close. After a few moments, Jude whispered something to herself that was too hard for Tommy to hear.

"What was that, sweetheart?" Though he didn't know why, Tommy knew that whatever she had just said was important—maybe more important than everything she had just told him.

"Its just...when you...what if..." Jude stopped and started a few times, seemingly trying to gather her thoughts. Finally, she took a deep breath and proceeded. "What happens when you find someone? Then you'll leave me too."

Tommy was shocked to hear her confession. No matter who came into his life in the future, Jude would always be his girl. How could she even begin to think that would change? "Babes?" His confusion was evident as he spoke to her. When she wouldn't look at him, Tommy tipped her chin up to face him. "Babe. Lots of people will come in and out of my life, but you know that you will always be number one. You are the only one who knows me and gets me...the only one who seems to understand everything about me. I wouldn't give that up for the world! Who else do I ever show my music to? Who is willing to pick me up when I am drunk off my ass? And who would voluntarily take care of me when I am puking my guts out." Tommy chuckled at the memory of when Jude came all the way to New York when he got a terrible flu that put him out for over a week. She had made sure he took the necessary medicine, got enough fluids, washed his clothes and sheets daily, and had soup and tea around the clock. Not even his mom had taken care of him like that before she had gone crazy. "No one can ever take your place, and I will never leave you, okay?" When she didn't respond, Tommy asked again, "okay?"

Thankfully, Jude nodded her agreement and rested her head on his chest. That action prompted Tommy's realization of how tired he actually was and suggested they find something on the television before getting some rest. The beautiful girl in his arms accepted and flipped to a cooking show. Despite her inability to cook edible food years ago, Jude had improved her skills in the kitchen when her mom moved out. Now, one of her guilty pleasures was watching the Food Network and Cooking Channel.

"Yes! I haven't seen this one yet!" Jude exclaimed at the episode that was currently playing on the TV. She sat up to make sure she got all of the details, and Tommy smiled. Just under a half an hour later, the episode was done and Tommy and Jude were curled together in between the sheets. They had drifted off moments ago, both with a smile and a sense of contentment. This was how every night should be.

Song Tommy performs is _Sorry_, by Chris Daughtry


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Paris, France. Jude could hardly believe that she was really here—she was giddy with excitement, a monstrous smile adorning her face. She had always dreamed of coming here, but never had the chance. To be honest, she had never ventured outside of Canada and the US. The group had just finished in London and flew to the French capital first thing this morning. They were here for four nights, and then were continuing around western Europe for the next six weeks. They then had a small break and were off to Asia.

Focusing her attention on the sights passing across her vision as they drove from the airport to the city center, Jude made a mental list of the things she wanted to do. Sure, they had shows the following two nights, but she was determined to enjoy her time here too. Plans were already made with Tommy for this afternoon—he was taking her to some of his favorite places in the city—places that weren't the usual tourist spots, but equally as amazing, he had assured her. Jude was thankful that they were on good terms again. As much as she knew that she should separate herself from Tommy, she couldn't. He was just too easy to be around, and things always seemed better when he was next to her. He was like the yin to her yang.

On the busy Quai Branly, Jude's eyes were wide in wonder as she gazed at the masterpiece that was the Eiffel Tower. She had only ever seen the massive structure in movies or on postcards, and now she was here. A hand grabbing her own startled Jude out of her reverie. She looked to her left and smiled at Tommy. "Don't worry Babes, that is just one of the many places I am taking you while we're here." She could only smile at his comment, excited to see the city with her favorite person.

Because of their limited time that first day, Tommy only took Jude to a few of the necessary attractions. They visited Esplanade des Invalides and had a late lunch on the lawn, walked through the streets around Boulevard Saint-Michel, saw Notre Dame and Sacre Coeur, and passed by the Moulin Rouge. They crossed the city back and forth, but Tommy had told her he wanted to get some of the tourist attractions out of the way. In a couple of days, he would show her the "real" Paris.

Jude was happy following Tommy though. She knew that he had been in Paris before, which, in her mind, made him the expert. As a side note, Jude knew that she would always follow Tommy—that was one of the effects of being in love with the man. That night they had dinner at a wonderful restaurant across the street from the Jardin des Halles. They walked the four kilometers back to their hotel, the San Regis, and simply basked in each other's company. For Jude, just being with Tommy was perfect. It didn't matter where they were, but as long as he was by her side, things were good. She knew that every second she spent with him, she was falling harder and harder, she just couldn't help it.

The next couple of days flew by for the pair, as well as everyone else on tour. Their second day in Paris was spent getting the arena ready and acquainting themselves with the equipment and the set up. The show was amazing, and SME and the Boyz were loving the feel of performing for a new crowd and a new group of fans. The next day, because some things were already in place, Tommy took Jude to one of his favorite breakfast spots, a small bakery on the way to the concert hall, the Palais Omnisport de Bercy. Much to his obvious dismay, Spied, Wally, and Kyle had joined them and nearly got them kicked out by throwing pastries at each other. Tommy had been furious, and it was only when Jude promised him that she would make them leave him alone the following day that he calmed down slightly. She knew he had big plans for their day together tomorrow, she just had no idea what they were. At this point, the only thing she really wanted to do was go to the Eiffel Tower and walk through the Musee d'Orsay.

The second and last concert in Paris was fantastic as well. Boyz Attack and SME had to stay especially late to interact with the fans and do a couple of interviews, so Jude caught a taxi back to their hotel early. Being the only girl, she always had her own room, but she had given Tommy her key once they checked in. The first thing Jude did when she got back was turn on the the water to fill her tub. After the past couple of days, she needed a bit of relaxing. She wasn't worried about anyone coming in, everyone would be occupied for at least another hour. She was exhausted after the concert—because it was the last one in the city, they had to pack up all of their equipment that night. On the plus side, she was grateful that they had gotten everything done because that meant that her and Tommy were completely free tomorrow.

Nearly an hour later, once she finished her bath, Jude got ready for bed and climbed into her comfortable haven of sheets and pillows. She was just about to drift off when she heard her door open and the shower turn on. She wasn't surprised to hear Tommy come in, and she was glad that he jumped into the shower—all of those guys got pretty gross after the concert. A few minutes later a warm and clean body crawled into the bed and an arm made its way around her waist. Jude sighed in contentment and, in her near-sleep state, told her companion, "Love you babe, sleep well."

…

Still laying in bed, Tommy thought about the previous night—he should not have been so happy to hear Jude's words, but he hadn't been able to stop smiling. After their last concert in Paris, he had gotten back to the hotel with the rest of his band mates and SME and gone to Jude's room. Everyone had to share rooms in Paris, but because Jude was the only girl, she was blessed with her own room. He got cleaned up a bit and crawled into bed and had quickly fallen asleep—exhausted from the whirlwind couple of days. He couldn't shake the sense of perfection he had felt last night, loving how it felt to be next to his favorite girl.

Not wanting to ponder those confusing thoughts anymore, he quietly got out of bed and ready for the day. Thankfully, he had brought his bag to Jude's room a couple of days ago—it just made things so much easier. Looking back at his still-sleeping friend, Tommy knew that Jude would be out for at least another hour. He decided that there was time to grab some breakfast from a baker down the street from their hotel. Their coffee was amazing, and he knew that she would appreciate it before their adventurous day.

As he got breakfast and coffee for his girl, Tommy thought about his plans for the day. He would start by taking Jude to the Jardin de Luxembourg. Then, they would head to the Musee d'Orsay. It was one of his favorite museums in the city and he knew that Jude had really wanted to go there. They would also stop by the Sainte Chapelle, and the Grand Palais. Tommy was going to finish their day by taking Jude to the Eiffel Tower, and they were going to go to dinner at an amazing restaurant where he knew the owner. He literally couldn't wait to get started...there was just so much to do. He thought back to when he was in Boyz Attack all those years ago. The few times he had been to Paris with the group he couldn't help but think about how amazing it would have been to experience it with someone he loved. But as he was in the elevator going up to Jude's room, he knew that there was no one who would appreciate it and love it like she would.

Arriving at the door, Tommy balanced the coffee and pastries in one hand while opening the door with the other. He set the items on the small table by the window and went over to the bed to wake Jude. He was surprised that she wasn't in it, but smiled as he heard her beautiful voice coming from the bathroom. No wonder Darius had given her a contract. Tommy was again struck by the beauty of her voice—rich and elegant, so full of emotion and passion. He was convinced that he could listen to her forever and never grow tired of the sound.

Tommy was startled by the bathroom door opening, but grabbed Jude's coffee to hand it to her as soon as she stepped out. She gratefully took the cup from him and pecked him on the cheek, "You are an angel! Thank you!" Tommy just smiled in response and sat down in one of the chairs the room had to offer.

"Let me just get some makeup on and I am ready for our day of fun!"

The smile on Jude's face was contagious, and Tommy couldn't help but grin. "No problem, hon. You look fantastic, by the way." She was in a pair of dark jeans that hugged her ass perfectly—tight, but not so tight that they didn't fit. Her top half was covered simply, wearing only a long sleeve shirt and a blazer. She was wearing a pair of black boots with a killer heel that made Tommy think about what she would like like in only them. He shook his head at those thoughts, and looked out the window, waiting for her to finish. Today was not about those kind of thoughts, it was about enjoying each other's company and showing Jude the amazing city they were in.

She cleared her throat, signaling that she was ready to go, and Tommy jumped from his spot by the window. "Let's do it!" Tommy handed her the purse by the door and she grabbed a scarf to fight the cold weather. Arm in arm, coffees in hand, the two left the hotel for their adventure. In their wake were three boys in their early twenties who watched the two with fascination.

Spied knew that Jude loved Tommy, and he could see the joy on her face whenever she was with the dark-haired man, but he also knew that she could get heartbroken. He sighed and went with his buddies, knowing that this was Jude's issue—he wouldn't step in until she asked for his help.

Across the city from their hotel, Tommy and Jude were walking through the Jardin de Luxembourg as they finished their coffee. Jude marveled at the plants, which was surprising to Tommy because he knew she had a black thumb. They watched as little kids played with each other and mothers talked, and he saw the smile on Jude's face, wondering at the look of longing. He grabbed her hand and led her to a bench close by, sitting down, he asked her, "What's up sweetheart?"

Not turning her head from the children, she responded, "I just wonder if I'll ever have that, you know?"

And Tommy did know. He often wondered if he would find that. Sure, he was only 27, but he didn't think that there was any woman who he could fall in love with—he wasn't sure that there was a woman who would get him, especially like Jude got him. Turning back to Jude, he put his arm around her and pulled her close. Tommy kissed the top of her head, "Babe, you know that you'll get that. Some man will sweep you off your feet and you'll get to wear a white dress and then you'll be popping out babies left and right. You just have to wait for the right one. And don't laugh at how cheesy that just sounded." As he told her that everything would be okay, his heart clenched at the thought of someone sweeping her off her feet. He knew that Jude was special, and she deserved the best. He could just imagine her getting married, a beautiful white dress and walking down the aisle. He could imagine her pregnant, with a beautiful big belly, full with child. He could imagine her as a mom, teaching their kids to be passionate about something. Wait, their kids? He must just be getting caught up in the moment. The interesting thing was that he couldn't comprehend what her partner would look like, and even trying to made him anxious and worried, and made his chest hurt. Tommy pushed those thoughts aside and focused back on Jude.

She snuggled to him and sighed. "I know. I think it's just hard to believe sometimes." Giving him one last squeeze, she got up and motioned for him to follow. "Come on. I believe we have more places to see."

"Yep. Our next stop is a museum. Guess which one."

"Please tell me you're taking me to the Musee d'Orsay?"

Tommy knew he had done well by agreeing to take her there. He nodded and they were off. They arrived at the museum by metro, wanting to make sure they had time for everything. Tommy had alotted two hours for the museum, and Jude had wanted every moment. He loved seeing her entranced by the art, so focused, enchanted. Her favorite had been the Renoir room—loving the emotion that came forth in his works. She had also loved Weeping Girl by Albert Bartholome, a sculpture that had nearly brought her to tears. Never before had Tommy seen her so moved by anything other than music.

They had grabbed lunch after visiting the museum, needing a break and time to process. Then, the pair headed down the roads bordering the River Seine until they reached the Ile de la Cite.

"What are we doing here?" Jude asked Tommy. "I thought we already went to Notre Dame?"

"We did, but now, we're going somewhere else. There is a little chapel that has the most amazing stained glass you will ever see. It's called La Sainte Chapelle, and its just a block or two from here." Tommy led her around a couple of corners until they reached a building that, from the outside, didn't look like much. But once he got her inside, Jude was in awe. She spent a half an hour not saying a word and just looking around.

As she was close to being finished, Jude walked back towards Tommy and touched his arm, "Thank you." The sincerity was clearly evident in her eyes, and Tommy was glad to have brought her to yet another place she seemed to enjoy. She continued by simply saying, "This is incredible."

"I'm glad you liked it." He smiled at her and led her to the door, his hand on her lower back. Next stop is the Grand Palais." With that, they were off. They walked down Rue de Rivoli and then crossed over to the Champs-Elysees.

Jude sucked in a deep breath as the Grand Palais appeared on their right, and she smacked Tommy's arm, "This is amazing. Look at that building!"

Tommy laughed, "I know, Jude. Right now they're having a Bulgari exhibit that is supposed to be pretty wicked, and they have whole section devoted to fencing."

Eyes went wide at the mention of fencing, Jude's excitement obvious. "Seriously?"

"Seriously?" Tommy responded. "You know, Babes, that is just one of the many reasons I love ya. You are far more excited about the fencing exhibit than you are about jewelry." With that, Tommy put his arm around her shoulder and led her to the front of the impressive building. He always loved how grand the building seemed—so open and airy, but so opulent and extravagant.

Jude was enthralled. Who would have thought that fencing was so entertaining? At once point, she had noticed they were offering a fencing workshop and was prepared to beg Tommy to let them join in. He had just smiled, and led her to the instructor, telling the man who they were. The guide motioned for them to follow, and Jude was giddy with excitement. "No need to beg," he had told her. "I already signed us up for the class. Go get your suit on."

They had spent the next three hours learning the ins and outs of fencing. Tommy had been shocked at how good Jude was, he decided that she had a future in the sport if singing didn't work out. But, as soon as that thought entered his mind, Tommy pushed it aside. There was no way his girl wouldn't be a world-renowned star in a few years. She was incredible, and the world would know her talents.

Right now, Tommy was sitting in the lobby of their hotel waiting for Jude to come down. They had arrived back just over an hour ago, and Tommy had gone to the room he was supposed to be sharing with JP and Sean to get ready. He had come down fifteen minutes prior not having anywhere else to go. Tonight was about treating Jude like a princess—he knew she deserved it. Just then, he caught a glimpse of his beautiful friend. Every thought left his brain and all of the blood rushed to a certain part of him a bit below the belt. He was so overwhelmed that he couldn't stand—both because he couldn't focus enough to do so and because he didn't want to show the rest of the guests his impressive manliness. Never before had a woman gotten him to stand at attention the way Jude had—with only one look.

She finally spotted him and started walking toward him. Tommy's mouth was still open and eyes wide, taking in every aspect of her beauty. He remained seated as she came closer, willing Jr. to go away, and continuing to gaze at her. She was wearing a shift dress in a navy silk. The neck was a low scoop, and the back was a racer-back, simple in detail, but incredible in elegance. She had on a pair of mustard yellow heels, and a shawl that brought both the colors together. Her ears were adorned with a simple pair of hoops, and her neck bare; the star ring she never took off was in its rightful place on her right middle finger. Blinking a few times, Tommy checked to make sure his "problem" was taken care of and stood to greet his date for the evening.

"Wow." That was the only word that would come to mind as he took Jude in his arms. After he gave her a quick hug, he stepped back and made her spin for him. "Damn, Babes. You look absolutely breathtaking. I have no words." He loved the hint of a blush that rushed to her cheeks. He loved how beautiful she looked—so elegant. So many girls didn't know how to look nice and dress up without looking whore-ish, but Jude looked perfect.

Grabbing her elbow with one hand, and placing his other on the small of her back, Tommy led Jude outside. They got into the taxi he had called for and headed to their destination. As they got closer, Tommy remained quiet, waiting to see if she would figure out where they were headed. It wasn't until the taxi stopped that Jude let out an "Oh!" He could see the lights of the Eiffel Tower reflecting in her eyes and her hair moving in the breeze. She was glowing, and he had never seen her so beautiful.

"Our first stop of the night is la tour Eiffel—we have a private car to the top—and then we are off to dinner at this amazing place about three blocks away. My grandmother and the owner/chef knew each other growing up."

"You, Tom Quincy, amaze me. That sounds perfect."

Hand in hand, fingers locked together, Tommy and Jude went to the massive structure. Knowing that Jude had never really loved heights, he held her close as their elevator climbed up the tall tower. She shifted slightly and relaxed in his embrace, and Tommy loved the feeling. After switching lifts, the pair finally made it to the top. Tommy led her to one of the sides and they gazed over the beautiful city. He pointed out different monuments across the city as they walked around the top of their personal haven. Tommy loved seeing her so excited. Her eyes were sparkling and the smile that graced her face was so genuine. He couldn't help but want her close to him. Who wouldn't want this beautiful specimen in their arms and by their side, especially when she fit so perfectly?

Tommy kissed the side of her head, and, wanting to make sure, asked her "Are you happy, sweetheart?"

Jude looked up at him and gave him the sweetest smile he had ever seen. "Babe, I can honestly say that this is probably the happiest I've ever been."

"Good. You deserve the best, I just want to make sure you get it." Again, he was blessed with that smile and his chest constricted. _Must be the cold_, he thought.

"That's why I have you, Babes. You are the best."

Not knowing how to respond, Tommy turned to face her completely and kissed her. It was sweet and simple, full of sincerity and, dare he say it, love. Choosing not to think to much about that, he kissed her once more on the lips, then on the forehead. Letting his lips linger there, he just held her for a few moments. A brief shiver reminded Tommy of the cold air surrounding him and his girl, "Sweetie, take my jacket." She gratefully accepted, and he led her back over to the elevator. "Now let's get to dinner. You'll love this place."

They headed toward the restaurant, talking, laughing, and enjoying each others company the whole way. As they were walking, they nearly ran into a couple well on their way to having sex on the Champs de Mars—the park in front of the Eiffel Tower. They had tried to be discrete and leave quickly, but then Jude had almost fallen over and they started laughing loudly. After five minutes of continuous cackling on Jude's part, the couple they had tripped over glared at them and left, the mood having been ruined. That caused a whole new round of laughter and giggles, Tommy nearly falling over. The pair finally composed themselves, and continued their journey to the restaurant, now only about two blocks away.

They were seated at a table for two in the middle of the small restaurant, with no other people around. Jude looked at him questioningly, "I may have rented out the whole restaurant." At her amused look, he quickly continued, "I just wanted tonight be about us and having a good time together."

"Thanks," she smiled. Taking his hand, she asked, "So, what's good?"

"I was thinking we could start with some wine." Motioning to the waiter standing discretely at the back of the restaurant, Tommy told him they would like to start with the Cabernet—a glass for each. He also asked for a couple of appetizers, knowing what the specialties of the chef were.

Conversation dominated their time, and eventually they were most of the way through their second bottle of wine and were sharing a beautiful crème brulee, Jude sitting on Tom's lap. As their dinner had continued, they had scooted closer and closer together. At one point, she had leaned across him to grab the wine. Her breast had grazed his chest, and it had him breathing hard instantly. He was, once again, shocked by the immediate reaction of his lower region. As she tried to sit up more straightly, she somehow fell onto his lap and had felt the erection straining his pants.

"Well, its good to know that someone is having a good time."

Tommy was shocked at her comment—he never expected Jude to be so open about something like that, especially without blushing. He chalked it up to the vast amounts of wine they had consumed, and grabbed the hand that was closest to his manliness. "You know we could have an even better time once we get out of here..." While he said it he wiggled his eyebrows up and down suggestively.

Laughter filled the air at his comment, and Jude slapped his shoulder, "I think I'm good where I'm at Tommy. This crème brulee is good enough to make me cum right here, right now." She took another bite and closed her eyes, a sensual moan escaping her lips. That simple action made Tommy impossibly more hard, and was surprised when a hand rested on his still growing erection. "Don't worry Babes, I'll make sure you are taken care of too," and gave him a little squeeze.

Sucking in a short breath, Tommy was again stunned at this side of Jude. He had seen her drunk before, but this was different. She was being so open and so forward—it made her even more sexy. He looked over at her and wasn't sure how to respond. _Well that's a first_, he thought. Tommy was always so smooth when it came to women, but Jude was completely undoing him. As she sat there, eyes closed, savoring every last bite of their dessert, Tommy handed his credit card to the waiter, wanting to get out of there as soon as possible. With the bill settled, he grabbed Jude's hand and nearly dragged her out with him.

Overwhelmed with the need to be as close to her as possible, Tommy pulled Jude into his arms and grabbed her ass. Her response was quick and she jumped into his arms. Startled by her action, he stumbled slightly, but regained his balance and walked toward the wall, her continuously kissing and nibbling at his neck. Once he had her against the wall, Tommy removed one hand from her ass and grabbed her breast. Massaging it in circles, her moans were getting him even more riled up. Hand still affixed to her breast, Tommy leaned in even closer and grabbed her ear with his mouth. He bit down gently, wanting to taste as much of her as he could. At that, Jude started to grind her hips against him and let out a sigh, coupled with a mew that was music to Tommy's ears. Hearing her make these little noises nearly set him off, and he knew that, if he wasn't careful, they would finish things against the wall right then and there. With the miniscule amount of brainpower he had left, Tommy knew that Jude deserved more than that.

"Babes, stop." He let his hand rest on the girl he had been massaging and put his forehead on the wall next to Jude. It took a few minutes to regain his breath, but eventually, Tommy was able to pull back and look his girl in the eye. He knew that he was drunk, but he wasn't so far gone that he could blame their little encounter completely on the alcohol. The strange thing was that he didn't regret it in the slightest. In fact, he thoroughly enjoyed their "bonding" moment. Not wanting Jude to feel like he was disappointed with what had happened, he simply smiled at her and gave her another kiss—this time very brief.

He let her down from the wall and grabbed her hand, "That was a nice way to end the evening." They started walking in the direction of their hotel.

Jude's response was simple, "Who says the night is over?" She let go of Tommy's hand and ran down the street.

Laughing, Tommy chased after her. Clearly, his beautiful friend was quite a bit more tipsy than he was, but that didn't mean he didn't enjoy it. All the way back to the hotel they stopped to share kisses and sweet moments together. As they walked under the Eiffel Tower, Tommy pulled his girl close to take a picture—this night had been so wonderful and he wanted a memory. Snapping the picture, Tommy smiled. At the last second though, Jude turned and kissed his cheek. Without even looking, Tommy knew that the picture would be perfect.

Keeping his arm around her waist, Tommy led Jude in the direction of their hotel once again. He couldn't get over how amazing the night had been. This was the way to see Paris—a stunning woman by your side, the mood sweetened by a bit of good wine, and beautiful lights casting a glow on the city known for love.

…

As he watched the couple walk out of his restaurant and smiled. The grandson of his dear friend grabbed the girl and shoved her against a nearby wall. They had been close all night; but the more alcohol they consumed, the closer they got. He was reminded of when he was young—him and his wife were inseparable.

The chef worked on cleaning his kitchen, drifting back in time to when his wife would have been by his side. He missed her terribly, the pain hadn't decreased over the past ten years, he had just gotten better at dealing with it. He was thankful for his friends; the grandmother of Thomas—the young man from that night in the restaurant—was the best. She too was alone, her husband having died many decades ago. She always took care of him and looked out for him. But she did that for everyone she knew, including her grandson.

She only talked to Thomas about once a year, but she knew that Jude was a special girl. She had told the old chef that this would be the girl her dear grandson would marry—so long as he wasn't too dense to realize that she was perfect for him. He had seen it to, and he knew it wasn't just the alcohol. The two young ones that had been in his restaurant were meant for each other. They had a special connection that only a few were blessed enough to experience in a lifetime.

…

Jude awoke slowly, the light from the clear blue sky shining through the windows, unobstructed by any blinds. The more conscious she became, the more aware she was that she didn't have a top on. That thought startled her enough to check and make sure she wasn't completely unclothed. Thankfully, she found herself in a pair of black lace boyshorts—it wasn't much, but at least it was something. Sighing, Jude started to get out of the bed, but was weighted down by a strong arm around her torso. She looked over at the man beside her and realized that Tommy only had a pair of boxers on. What the hell happened last night? Jude never slept in only a pair of underwear, and Tommy never slept without a shirt when he was in bed with her—well except for the times when he was sick or drunk.

Jude thought back to the night before. Her face fell into a smile as she remembered dressing up and going to the Eiffel Tower, the amazing dinner, and the kisses that were sheer perfection. She sighed thinking of the moment they left the restaurant. When Tommy had grabbed her and pushed her against the side of the building, she had felt so...alive. There was a fire in the pit of her stomach, her heart had been racing, and she had never felt more wanted. Sure, she had dated guys in the past—even slept with a few of them. But not a single one of them, or even all of them combined, made her feel the was Tommy did in mere moments.

Involuntarily, her eyes closed and she replayed the events in her mind: the way he bit at her neck and earlobe, and then soothed it with his tongue; the way he held her close to him and took control; the way his passion shined through and burned everything in its path, including her. The simple act of trailing his finger along her chest had Jude nearly jumping out of her skin last night.

Nearly moaning at the memory, Jude suddenly realized that the moment she was recalling had happened here, in her hotel room. Closing her eyes and pinching her nose, she tried to jog her memory. They had gotten back to the hotel and gone straight to her room. The headache she was sporting now was evidence that Jude had been quite drunk last night, but she remembered laying down on the bed, complaining that her feet were sore from the horrid heels she had worn and all the walking they did. Without saying a word, Tommy had taken off her shoes and started rubbing her feet.

It hadn't stopped there though. Jude remembered him continuing to massage her legs, eventually making his way to her upper thighs. At one point, he slid his hands under her, caressing her ass and then continuing on up her back. He brought her to sit up and looked her in the eyes. She had seen his eyes darken as he had made his way up her legs, and now they were nearly black with what she hoped was desire. Her hopes were confirmed when he leaned in and captured her lips. It started full of passion and so demanding. She gave in instantly, opening her mouth to him, their tongues meeting once again in a fierce dual for control. Somewhere in the back of her mind Jude knew that she shouldn't be doing this. Its just that Tommy's lips were so persuasive and his tongue was simply amazing.

After what seemed like hours, but had really been twenty minutes, Tommy pulled away from her. "You literally set me on fire. Babes, you are smokin'!" He was looking at her with still-dark eyes and an intensity she had never seen before. "I can't seem to get enough of you..." Tommy's voice trailed off as he pulled her closer, scooting them both back on the bed. He laid down semi on top of her, one leg between hers, and caressed her cheek. "I don't think I've ever seen anyone as sexy as you are in this moment—wrinkled dress, messy hair—so hot!" He pulled her in for another mind-blowing kiss, but they separated a minute later when their lungs were burning.

With a half-drunken smile on her face, Jude leaned her forehead against his and asked, "What's gotten into you?" She loved this side of him. It was a window into a part of Tommy that she had never seen, but also one she hoped to see more of.

"I was serious, I just can't get enough of you." After a light kiss against her lips, he continued, "and honestly, you do look damn sexy. I can't help but want you."

He moved to kiss her, but she surprised him by turning her head. "You get everything you want, huh?"

The look on his face was filled with confusion. "What are you talking about?"

Jude sat up slightly, leaning against the back of the bed. "You do! Name one time you didn't get something...or someone...that you wanted."

He sat up next to her with brow furrowed. With a triumphant grin, he told her "there was that Gibson I wanted a few years ago; oh, and the Lotus I wanted—the Elise SC; and there was that model, Gemma, that didn't sleep with me a few months ago." Looking at her pointedly, he stuck his finger in front of her face, "Ha!"

She grabbed his finger and pulled it down, "Nice try buddy!" She now pointed at him and then poked him in the chest, "You didn't get the Gibson because you previewed it and didn't like it. As for the Lotus, you're right, you didn't get the Elise SC, but I know for a fact that you've already put a deposit down on the Elise. And Gemma did sleep with you—over two years ago. She didn't sleep with you a few months ago because you didn't remember her." Jude took her finger of his chest and put her hands in her lap. "So nice try, but yes, you do get whatever you want." A smirk formed on her face, and she looked at him with a cocky expression, "Except for me."

"I don't think I like the sound of this." Tommy laid down on his side and propped himself up by his elbow. "What exactly are you suggesting?"

"Well, I wasn't planning on suggesting anything, just making a point." She followed his prior actions and laid on her side, also propped up by her elbow, and faced him. She was a bit nervous because she knew the look on his face. As soon as those thoughts entered her mind, Tommy's smile god bigger. Now she was really worried. "What's going through your mind?"

"I have a proposition for you." His eyes glinted in anticipation and asked, "Are you up for it?"

"I don't know. Should I be worried?" She didn't know why she even asked him that. The smirk that was spread across his lips along with his barely-restrained glee had her nervous as hell.

"I don't know, Harrison. Should you be worried? It's not like you're chicken, right?" As he said it he wiggled his eyes up and down.

Jude knew that Tommy was just trying to get to her, but she couldn't help it. Not backing down from a dare was like an addiction for her. "Fine," she told him. "Bring it on. What do you propose?" Jude fluffed her hair with one hand, wanting to seem nonchalant. She couldn't let him know that she was even the slightest bit nervous and wondering if she would regret this.

"You say that I get whatever I want, right?" At her nod, he continued. "So let me prove you wrong. You give me a strip-tease. If I last to the very end without laying a hand on you—without touching you in the slightest, then I get to have you."

The smug look on his face wasn't bringing Jude any reassurance. "And what's in it for me, Babes?"

"You get me." He said it as if it was the most obvious answer in the world.

"But that isn't a prize. I want something good." She pouted her lips out and gave him her best puppy eyes. She had been told that no one could resist her pout, so she used it to the best of her ability. Jude knew exactly what she wanted. She had been eying a sealed vinyl record at the vintage store a few blocks from her childhood home. It was the Strange Days album from The Doors, circa 1967. More than that though, the record was signed by Jim Morrison and Robby Krieger. She had been coveting it for the past year, but she found out that, during their week-long break in Toronto, Tommy had bought it. It would have been fine if he was being sweet and was going to let her listen to it, but he was being an ass and did it just to spite her. The album had set him back nearly a thousand bucks.

"Fine, what do you want?" His slight confusion was not surprising to Jude. This was the man who got anything he wanted, usually just by smiling.

"Strange Days." Recognition dawned on his face as he realized what she wanted.

"Fine."

"And how do I win?" Jude had to make sure she knew what to do to get that record.

"If I touch you before you're down to your birthday suit, you win."

Jude stood up and began pacing. "Just to be clear, I strip for you. If you touch me, I win. If you don't, you win." When Tommy nodded his head, she continued, "And if I win, I get Strange Days. You win, you get me." Again, he nodded. "You have a deal, Babes." She walked over to him and stuck out her hand for him to shake, sealing the deal.

He stuck out his hand to agree, but pulled it back quickly, "Can you keep the shoes on?"

She looked down at the black heels she was wearing and shrugged. Nonetheless, Jude nodded her agreement. Tommy sat up and they shook hands and the deal was sealed. As soon as that happened, she felt a sense of dread take over and she began pacing again. What had she just agreed to?

She looked at Tommy and smiled seductively—at least, what she hooped was seductively. Walking close to him, she swayed her hips; upon reaching him, she bent over and got right in his face. "I think you need to be more comfortable first." Her delicate hands darted out and started undoing the buttons. Finally finishing, Jude pushed the shirt off of his shoulders and let it lay on the bed. Now that she had Tommy shirtless, her hands moved to his slacks. She could hear his breath catch, and smiled to herself, glad that she could make him gasp. Undoing the buckle and clasp, she moved her hand to his zipper. Jude was still a bundle of nerves and wasn't sure how to handle releasing him from the constricting pants. Before thinking about it too much, she smirked at Tommy, deciding to ignore his zipper for now, instead continuing down to his feat. Grabbing one, she put it against her thigh, undid the laces and slid it off. The sock soon followed, as did the other shoe and it's accompanying sock.

Jude sighed to herself. The only thing that was left were the pair of pants that still adorned his perfectly shaped ass and sculpted legs. Taking a deep breath, she pushed Tommy so that he was laying on the bed. As she reached for the zipper again, she purposely brushed against his manhood, knowing he would appreciate the "subtlety" of her actions. She pulled down the metal and then dragged the pair of pants off of him—slowly but surely, inch by agonizing inch. He now lay before her in only his boxers, legs bent at the knees and hanging over the side of the bed. His erection was no longer straining against the pants, just confined by the cotton material. _Damn!_ She thought. _No wonder the man can get any woman he wants_.

She looked up at him again and rolled her eyes at the grin he was giving her. He was openly leering at her, the look in his eyes lewd. Turning to go back to her purse, Jude considered what was left to do...strip for Tommy. While she wasn't opposed to such an act in other circumstances, she was unsure of doing this for him right now. Shoving those thoughts aside, she tried to forget about her nervousness. But, the only thing she could think of that would calm her nerves was music...the only thing she loved more than Tommy. That though surprised her for a moment, but soon realized that the massive amounts of alcohol she had consumed was wearing off. She got up and went over to her bag, looking for her iPod. Finally digging it out of the bottomless pit that was her bag, Jude stood up. Showing her companion the device, she asked, "Do you mind?"

At his shrug, Jude moved over to the stereo that was in her room. Plugging in her musical library, she scrolled through some of her music and landed on an extended version "Pour Some Sugar on Me" by Def Leppard. _Perfect_, she thought. The music began to course through the speakers, and Jude closed her eyes. She needed to be taken over by the sounds, let the beat of the song become the beat of her heart. Feeling the drums, Jude began to sway her hips again. She turned and faced Tommy, slowly walking toward him, one foot in front of the other. Jude stopped short of the bed, and shed the shawl she still had on from earlier that night. Tommy's eyes widened at the hint of more skin, and again, Jude smiled.

Before he could notice, she turned her smile into a sexy little smirk. She would love to make him lose their bet without shedding any more clothes, but she knew that was unlikely. Sucumbing to the fact that she would have to shed a few layers, Jude asked in a husky voice, "Are you ready for this?"

Tommy only nodded, entrenched in the anticipation of seeing his best friend shed the layers covering her. He sat up and scooted as close to the end of the bed as he could without falling off. Trying to get comfortable, he clasped his hand in front of him and leaned on his legs. She could tell he was ready for a show.

Jude backed up a step and began to tease him, slowly raising the hem of her shift dress. She let it drop before raising it again, this time stopping when it just covered her lace-covered ass. Winking at Tommy, she then continued to lift the silk material past the curve of her rear. Jude turned in a circle, making sure that he got a good look at her from all angles. Then, in one swift motion, she lifted the dress all the way off and tossed it behind her, not caring where it landed.

Jude stopped all movement except the continuous sway of her hips and placed her hands there. She posed for a moment, looking deep into Tommy's eyes. The heat she found in his eyes surprised her. This was supposed to be a bet, not real. Well, not supposed to be real for him. Jude knew that the feelings she was experiencing were real—things that she had felt for years. Pushing those thoughts aside, Jude brought herself back to Tommy. The intense look he was giving her spurred a longing heat to pool in her lower abdomen. It quickly spread all over, even reaching down to the tip of her toes. To counteract the jelly-like feeling that was quickly making its way through her legs, Jude took a step towards Tommy, closing the distance.

Subconsciously, Tommy leaned closer to the woman in front of him. Jude again smiled to herself, his actions bringing her more confidence. She stood in front of him wearing only her black and navy lace underwear—the strapless bra pushing her breasts up, the panties sheer and showing off half of her slightly rounded ass. With one finger, she pushed him back, forcing him to lay on the bed again. His legs were still resting on the ground, and Jude made her place in between them.

She leaned over him and placed both hands on either side of his face. Leaning over to where she was almost touching him, Jude whispered, "How you doing?"

Shocked to hear a growl as opposed to a verbal response, Jude stifled any hint of a laugh and stood back up. She gave a quick spin and reached her hands behind her back. A quick flick of her fingers unhooked the clasp on the bra, and Jude let the undergarment fall from its place covering her chest. Her face blushed into a deep crimson at the renewed heat radiating from Tommy. She visibly saw him harden even more, his erection poking through the whole in his boxers. Not sure how she should respond, Jude closed her eyes and danced to the music still coming from the speakers. Clad only in her panties and high heels, Jude felt a sense of freedom that was surprising and incredible all at the same time. For a moment she was caught up in the music, but was startled by a pair of arms grabbing her and pulling her to the bed. She was soon pinned underneath the strong form of Tom Quincy.

After recovering from her slight shock, Jude pushed him off her and propped herself up on her elbows. "You lost!" She was truly a bit surprised at his lack of restraint, but the feeling of him so close was making it hard to focus.

"I don't care." Tommy's voice was low and gravely, filled with what she hoped was passion.

"That means I get Strange Days?" Jude had no idea how she was conscious enough to even ask the question. In truth, she didn't even care about the record at that moment, she just wanted to be covered by him again. She wanted to feel his skin against hers, his calloused hands caressing every inch of her body, his lips welded to hers for as long as possible.

"You can have whatever you want, just..." Tommy didn't finish his remark, instead fusing his lips to hers.

They continued kissing, but soon, they were both too needy, and the kissing had turned to touching and groping. Tommy was still on top of Jude, pushing her into the mattress. He was nibbling, sucking, licking, and kissing her neck, moving from the hollow just below her ear to the indentation of her collar bone. The way his tongue would swirl over a spot after he grabbed it with his teeth made her groan in delight—the mix of pain and soothing pleasure being perfect. One of her hands found its way to her hair, the other made its way down his body, resting on the curve of his ass. She loved the feeling of holding him so close to her, and the way her center was rubbing against him was intoxicating.

With some inexplicable amount of strength, Jude rolled them over, straddling him in the process. She placed her hands on his chest, massaging his pecs as she leaned in to kiss him again. Just as her lips were about to connect with his, she moved her face slightly, causing a desperate groan to escape Tommy's lips. A smug look on her face, Jude turned back toward Tommy and leaned in to capture his lips, but again, moved her face. At that, the man beneath her grabbed the back of her neck and pulled her toward him. She shoved her tongue in his mouth while grinding her hips against his. From her place on top of him, Tommy's erection was rubbing against her center, causing friction on her clit, bringing her closer to the edge. Her chest lay against his, and she loved feeling the heat spreading between their bodies.

Their bodies continued grating against each other, tension escalating, heat rising, need spiraling out of control. Tommy's movements increased, his hips thrusting into her, her lace panties the only barrier in between the two. Her breathing got more ragged, little noises coming out of her, her desire becoming urgent. She was so close...she just wanted release! Why wouldn't he do that for her? In her frustration, she cried out, "More!"

The sound of her voice stopped Tommy's movements. He looked up to find Jude's eyes. Once he caught them, he pulled back from her slightly—as much as he could laying down on the bed. He turned slightly, moving both of them so that they were lying on their sides facing each other. "Sweetheart?"

Jude wasn't sure what he meant. Why did he say her name like that? What did this mean? What had she just done? She was just starting to realize that she was still in her high heels and lace boy short panties. She moved one arm to cover her chest, and looked at her best friend, eyes big and full of questions.

Tommy must have sensed her confusion and unease. He scooted closer to her—her chest was once again against his, her arm crushed in between them, his arm around her waist holding her close. He moved his lips to her forehead, lingering there much longer than usual. Jude wasn't sure how, but this small kiss felt more intimate than their dry humping just moments before. When his lips parted from her forehead, they moved to her cheek, then to the corner of her mouth.

Jude was surprised by his actions. Though she didn't want to, she expected him to deny what had just happened or run away. Having him instead wrap his arms around her, she was stunned. She couldn't deny that she loved the feeling...she would be happy staying like this forever. But that wasn't reality. Needing to know what Tommy was thinking, she brought her eyes to his.

A small smile adorned his face, "That was fun."

His smiled turned sheepish, and in that moment, Jude knew that, regardless of how awkward things might be at the moment, they would move past it eventually.

"As, uh, fantastic as this was, can I go...you know..." Without finishing his sentence, Tommy just motioned towards the bathroom.

Jude smiled and nodded, "Oh course. Take care of your...issue." She waved her hand in the general direction of his still raging erection. She hid her grin by rolling over and turning her face into the pillow. She felt the bed move as Tommy got up, and a moment later, the shower turned on. She couldn't believe what had just happened, but she would be lying if she said it wasn't amazing.

A deep sigh escaped her lips as she turned onto her back, suddenly realizing how completely exhausted she was. Quickly ridding herself of her heels, Jude crawled under the covers and snuggled down into the comfortable bed. She would deal with tonight's consequences tomorrow. Seconds later, she was asleep, not even noticing when Tommy crept into bed next to her.

The figure next to her turned, startling Jude out of her memories. Still somewhat unsure as to how awkward things would be this morning, Jude crawled out of bed as quietly as possible. She grabbed some clothes out of her bag and hopped into the shower. Not twenty minutes later, she was ready to go and scrawled a note to Tommy. As much as she was kind of dreading facing him, she didn't want him to think she was running away.

Jude walked to the bakery Tommy had gone to the other day to get their morning coffee and some pastries. On her way back, she nearly dumped everything on the side of the Parisian street when a man bumped into her. Recovering quickly, she looked up to discover that the man who had tried to take her out was none other than the chef from the restaurant last night. Offering a small smile, she apologized and started to walk back to the hotel. When the man grabbed her arm, she turned back to face him.

"I just thought you should know that what you and the young man share is very special. Don't ever stop loving him." After his cryptic statement, the Frenchman walked away.

Jude didn't know how to respond, but shrugged it off, hurrying back to the hotel and back to Tommy. When she got up to the room, he was just putting on his shirt after getting out of the shower. Silently she handed him a coffee and the bag of pastries. The smile he gave her was enough to melt her heart, but she only smiled back at him.

"Ah, thanks Babes! You're the best." He kissed her on the forehead—something Jude was getting entirely too used to—and walked over to the table. They ate in relative silence, until he broke it by saying, "I know that last night was a little strange." At Jude's nod, he continued, "But I don't want things to change. You know you're my favorite and I don't want things to be weird. I still want to have sleepovers and watch _Chuck's Day Off_ and make music and laugh and have fun." Tommy finished his mini ramblings and looked at her, "Is that okay?"

Jude had rarely seen him so concerned, and knew how important this was to him. And she could relate—she felt the same. Tommy may never love her the way she wanted, but their friendship was far too important to be thrown away because of one night. She immediately took his hand and told him, "Of course! I don't want anything to change either."

The smile on his face was one of pure relief. "Good. But just so you know, last night was so fucking hot." With that, he stood up and threw away the bag the pastries had been in. He gathered his bag and Jude's and motioned toward the door with his head. "You ready, Harrison?"

Smiling, she nodded. "Let's do it. Next stop, Spain!" She swung her purse over her shoulder and picked up both coffees, walking in front of Tommy.

…

The past three weeks, things had been relatively normal all around. Chaz and Tommy argued often, Sean and JP were always on the phone with their wives and/or kids, Wally and Kyle were constantly trying to pick up European girls, Spied was having the time of his life, Bruno was moody, and Tommy and Jude were inseparable. After their potentially awkward encounter, things could have gone terribly wrong. But much to Tommy's relief, they were fine. Granted, things for him weren't quite the same—he felt the constant desire to be near her, kiss her, and hold her. Nothing in terms of his respect and love for Jude as a friend had changed, just his compulsion to be close to her. He tried not to think about it too much, just enjoyed spending time with her.

Thinking back, he couldn't believe that he had dared Jude to strip for him. He couldn't believe that he had kissed her. He couldn't believe that he had almost had sex with her—he had literally been ready to explode. He also didn't know how he had managed to stop from having sex with her—never in his life had he ever been so turned on. That night with Jude was an anomaly that his mind had replayed over and over—he had been overwhelmed by a desire to take care of her and truly show her what love could feel like. Tommy rarely cared about how the woman he was with felt...so long as he was taken care of, he knew they would be taken care of.

Nonetheless, here he was, thinking about Jude as they were on the way to Rome. She was on the bus with Spied, Wally, and Kyle—just like she usually was when they traveled. Of course, half the time they were on separate buses they were talking on the phone or texting, but he still missed her. Oh course, he couldn't tell that to anyone—they would make fun of him for acting like an over-emotional girl.

Anyways, they were supposed to arrive in a little over an hour, and Tommy couldn't wait. He had been sleeping since they left after being up all night playing truth or dare with SME, Jude, and Bruno. A text had startled him to consciousness, but when he saw it was from his girl, a smile graced his face. She told him that they had to go to some place JP had told her about that morning. She looked it up online and agreed that it looked perfect for a relaxing lunch—something they both needed.

Finally arriving at the hotel, everyone dropped off bags and headed in different directions. The rest of the afternoon was unscheduled, and the following day would be filled with interviews for the Boyz and SME, sound checks, and the concert; thus, Tommy wanted to embrace the time they had now. He was currently waiting in the lobby of the Internazionale Domas, located in the Piazza di Spagna. He had showered and changed, but was now ready to go and extremely curious about where Jude was taking him.

He sucked in a breath at the sight of a beautiful woman in the mirror on the wall in front of him. He could tell her body was smokin', but because the image in the mirror was slightly blurry, he turned to see who this vision was—he hadn't that been affected by a woman other than Jude in a long time. Starting from the bottom, he took in her black motorcycle-like boots and skinny ripped jeans. Impressed thus far, he continued his perusal of her through his sunglasses and assessed her plain gray tank top and black scarf. Tommy lastly settled on the woman's face, and was thoroughly surprised to see his best friend lurking behind the sunglasses. Trying to shake off some of his shock, he walked up to her and took the sunglasses of her face. "You look refreshed. Ready to go?"

"You bet! Let's get out of here." She grabbed his hand and retrieved her sunglasses from his other hand and led him out of the hotel. They walked at a leisurely pace, window shopping and talking about anything and everything. Twenty minutes later they reached the Pantheon, stopping briefly to take a picture. Moving on, Jude maneuvered them through a few small streets until they came upon an open expanse, the Piazza Navona.

Eyes wide, Jude looked up at him, "Isn't this awesome?"

He could see the excitement radiating off of her, thinking it was pretty hilarious. Feeling a jerk, he followed after her as she pulled his to the middle of the plaza. They walked hand-in-hand amongst the tourists and locals, looking at the caricaturists, vendors, statues, and more. They were amused by the kids who were playing some form of tag, and were enthused by the energy that seemed to fill the space. Deciding that they should grab some food, Tommy suggested they start looking at some menus that were on display outside of the restaurants. They settled on a place just off-center of the large fountain, perfect for continuing their people-watching. Tommy ordered a half carafe of wine for them, and settled into his seat next to his favorite girl.

_This is pure perfection_, he thought to himself, smiling as he put his arm around Jude. The sky was blue with a few clouds, it wasn't too cool, and he felt completely relaxed. The only thing that would make this better would be some classical guitar.

"Wouldn't it be awesome if there was some music playing?" She closed her eyes as if she was deep in thought, but quickly opened them again. "Classical guitar...that's what would make this perfect."

Tommy was shocked. He was amazed at her ability to be so in sync with him—they were so totally on the same wave-length. He could do nothing but smile at her, and then leaned in to kiss her softly. As soon as he sat back in his seat, Tommy started to question his actions. Instead, he pushed those concerns aside—regardless of what should or should not happen, it felt right. And right now, that was enough.

As they enjoyed their meal, there were a total of three more kisses. Each one was sweet, tender, loving—simple and wonderful. Tommy decided to just go with how he felt, disregarding all second-guesses, and enjoy the afternoon. Anyone looking at the pair would think they were a couple—hell, their waiter had asked twice if they were celebrating a honeymoon or anniversary. Interestingly enough, Tommy had said they had just gotten married, not wanting to have their time interrupted by anyone. When he said it, there wasn't a hint of fear or anxiety either—it was almost...normal?

Eventually they finished their lunch and make their way back to the hotel. Everyone wanted to get a good night's sleep before the following day which would prove to be a whirlwind.

As promised, madness reigned the day of the concert, and, by the time the last autograph was signed, Tommy could barely walk he was so wiped out. He walked through the maze of the back stage area searching for Jude. Tonight they were off to the south of Italy—Crotone to be exact. From there, they would catch a ferry to Athens, where the next concert would take place. They would make it to the coast by morning and be in Athens the following afternoon. Just the thought of all the hours on the road made Tommy want to crawl into his comfortable bed back home with a beer and ignore the reality of his current situation. At moments like this, he wondered why he had agreed to this tour, spending day and night with the people who made his life a living hell for years. Nearly bumping into someone, Tommy stumbled to avoid hitting them and then tripped over a cable. Grabbing onto the closest thing he could find, Tommy finally regained his balance by holding onto a support beam.

Standing up straight again, he tried to figure out how to get out of the stage area, but saw a figure sitting up against an amp. Taking a few steps closer to her, he discovered that the figure was Jude. She was asleep, eyes closed, exhaustion clearly evident on her face. He couldn't help but smile—she looked like a tired little child, worn out from a long day of playing. _If only_, he thought. Tommy knew that Jude was working more than most people on this tour. She got up early most mornings, and stayed up late often, going over arrangements and equipment lists. She made sure that the schedules were taken care of and interviews set. On top of all that, she did her actual job—taking care of all sound and production needs for the entire tour. They still had about six weeks left in tour, and Tommy wasn't sure how Jude would be able to keep up. He would have to make sure she was getting sleep and eating. It seemed like lately, the only time she ate was when he forced her too. She said that she was just too busy and that she would forget.

Tommy sighed and bent down. He picked up his best friend, putting one arm under her knees and supporting her back with the other. In her sleep, Jude cuddled into Tommy's chest; he smiled at her actions and held her a little more tightly. Kissing her forehead, he then carried her out to the buses. She needed to get some sleep, and with SME in her midst, that would never happen. Before any of the other Boyz were able to get on their bus, Tommy carried his girl onto the bus and gently laid her down on his bunk. Taking off his shoes, he crawled in next to her and pulled the blanket over both of them. Because of the extremely confined quarters, he held his beautiful friend tightly to him, her back to his chest, his arm holding onto her. His laptop was still on the bed and he opened it and put on _Friends_. It was one of his and Jude's favorites, and it brought him a sense of comfort and familiarity.

…

Not twenty minutes later, the rest of Boyz Attack got on the bus, everyone tired and quiet. JP was first to the bunks, and stopped suddenly upon seeing the two "friends" laying together. He knew that there was more to their relationship than just friendship—anyone could see that. He just hoped that they would realize it before it was too late. Hearing scuffles behind him, JP turned around and put a finger to his lips, silencing the rest of the group. Pointing to Tommy and Jude, he raised his eyebrows, hoping they would take the hint and be a bit more quiet. Sean smiled, knowing, like JP, that the pair shared something special. Bruno shrugged and climbed into his own bunk, and Chaz rolled his eyes. Everyone knew that Chaz was still bitter about the fame Tommy had over the years, and JP knew that he was jealous about the friendship Tommy and Jude shared.

Shaking his head at Chaz's actions, JP just motioned everyone to their respective bunks. They were all tired and needed some sleep. Hopefully they could let Tommy and Jude sleep—enjoying each others presence.

…

Six weeks later, the group was on their way back to Toronto. They had already been flying for ten hours, and there were still over three to go. Jude was asleep sandwiched between Tommy and the window. She had fallen asleep ten minutes into the flight, an earbud still in her ear from the iPod she had been listening to with Tommy. He had quickly followed, drifting off not fifteen minutes after her. Though they had an amazing time on the tour, they were worn down, weary from being overworked.

After Athens, the group had a five-day break that they had spent in Bali. At one point, Chaz had tried to get Tommy to sleep with a random woman (later he found out she was a hooker). But, before she could even kiss him, he had paid for her cab back to her place and gone in search of his best friend. He had felt so guilty about even the idea of being with another woman, especially when all he wanted was to relax on the beach with the beautiful woman that was Jude. Going back to the hotel, he had told her what Chaz had tried to do. Being completely amazing, Jude had brushed off his concerns that she wouldn't know how important she was and they spent the rest of their break together, enjoying each others company. After that, they had become even more inseparable. Jude had tried to protect herself from getting too close to Tommy, knowing that only he had the power to completely break her, but it was useless. She wanted to spend every free moment with him—making music, laughing, and basking in all that was Tom Quincy.

They were both a bit nervous about heading back to Toronto. Tommy and Jude had constantly thought about the kisses they had shared, the burning passion that came through during their almost-sex, and the extreme need they both had for the other. Anxiety was setting in. What would it be like to go home? Would their friendship change?

Nonetheless, they couldn't wait to get back to Toronto. Jude had completely filled the journal she had started at the beginning of the tour and was already a quarter of the way through her next—she was completely stoked to get in the studio as an artist. Tommy was excited to produce for Jude because, after years of hearing her incredible music and haunting voice, he would help deliver her music to the rest of the world. They were thrilled to be going home.

Tommy awoke with a start due to some turbulence, and looked at the sleeping girl next to him. A smile lit his face as he realized that he had been doing that often—watching her sleep. He didn't mean for it to be weird and creepy, but he loved seeing her so peaceful. She was usually a bundle of energy, moving around constantly and in the midst of a hundred different things. Lyrics, chords, melodies, and progressions were always on her mind, along with the duties her job entailed. When she was sleeping was one of the only times Tommy ever got to see her relaxed—the only other times were when they were working on or listening to music together or laying down and watching something on the television.

He had noticed that Jude's insecurities were coming through more and more the closer they had gotten to the end of tour. He knew that, as excited as she was about recording her own music, she was scared as hell. She was nervous about what people would think and if she would become successful. For the majority of her life in music, Jude had never let on that she wrote her own music. It was only recently that she began sharing her talents with those around her, aside from Tommy, at least. On top of that, he knew that her sister's impending wedding was overwhelming. Sadie had been making constant comments about "when Jude gets married," and Tommy knew that it affected her. For some reason, she was truly scared that she would end up alone.

Knowing that Jude thought that broke his heart. He knew she was amazing, how could she even think that there was a possibility she would end up alone? And even if she was scared that no one else would be there, didn't she know that he would always be there? How could he give up the one person who he could always talk to? How could he give up the only person who was like sunshine on a dark and dreary day? She was his best friend, and he would always love her and be there for her. Didn't she know that?

Ideas were racing through his mind, but the only clear and coherent thought Tommy focused on was making Jude understand that someone would always be there for her and love her. He would take care of her and keep her sane—through her sister's wedding craziness, making her album, joy and heartbreak—she was his girl: best friend and confident. Grabbing his notebook and a pen, Tommy began jotting down the ideas and phrases that continued to take over his mind. Just under an hour later, a song had been born. Looking over it one last time, Tommy smiled. This would be perfect—the day they got back to Toronto there was going to be "Welcome Home" concert, where Tommy decided that he would play his song. He would make sure that Jude knew that she was his best friend and he would always be there for her. He made a mental note to talk to Darius as soon as they landed so that he wouldn't be completely caught of guard and pissed off—he couldn't afford to have this transfer be taken away. Adjusting slightly in his seat, he scooted closer to Jude wrapped one arm around her, slowly drifting off to sleep, content and happy in his decision.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The crowd had been huge—by far the biggest they had encountered on tour. Tommy could feel the cheering of the fans, their excitement contagious, sending adrenaline coursing through his veins. The night was drawing to a close, SME had performed their usual set, with a three-song encore thrown in at the end. Then, he and the Boyz had done their thing, performing all of the classics and some of the updated songs that had gained a huge following. They had already done two encores, and now, the rest of Boyz Attack was walking off the stage. Nerves began to take over him as his band mates left his side and he really took in the size of the crowd. Being that it was the last concert of the tour, and the last concert he would ever perform as a member of Boyz Attack, Tommy felt that he had to mark this occasion. And, what better way to remember this night than to sing his newest song.

As the lights on the stage came down and he was illuminated, Tommy took a deep breath. He wasn't used to being the only one up there, only the guitar to keep him company. Looking at the audience, he could feel his heart quicken and his palms sweat. Knowing that he had to get ahold of himself, he moved his gaze to stage right to find his best friend. Seeing her smile brought a smile to his face, and Tommy knew that it would all be okay. He had called Darius that day as soon as they had touched down in Toronto, making sure he would still have a job after his somewhat impromptu performance. One more deep breath and Tommy was ready. He began stroking the strings of his guitar, then beginning to play a quirky melody. Giving his girl one more smile, Tommy began to sing.

When everything is wrong I'll come talk to you  
You make things alright when I'm feeling blue  
You are such a blessing and I wont be messing  
With the one thing that brings light to all of my darkness

You're my best friend  
and I love you, and I love you  
Yes I do

There is no other one who can take your place  
I feel happy inside when I see your face  
I hope you believe me  
Cause I speak sincerely  
and I mean it when I tell you that I need you

You're my best friend  
and I love you, and I love you  
Yes I do

I'm here right beside you  
I will never leave you  
and I feel the pain you feel when you start crying

You're my best friend  
and I love you, and I love you  
Yes I do

You're my best friend  
and I love you, and I love you  
Yes I do  
Yes I do...  
Yes I do

The crowd was on their feet the moment he stopped singing. Pure adrenaline coursed through his veins, so much so that he could barely stand. Quickly bidding everyone thanks and a good night, Tommy rushed off stage and into the waiting arms of his beautiful blonde friend. Letting out a massive sigh of relief, he relaxed into her arms and held her more tightly. After a few moments, he leaned back and looked Jude in the face, excited to see her smile.

"Babes..." After a few seconds, she started again. "That was beautiful, Babes. I loved it." Jude leaned up and kissed him on the cheek.

Tommy felt the need to explain the song to her, but simply said, "I know that the tour was a bit crazy, and coming home to Sadie's wedding will be even more crazy and stressful. I just thought you should know that I'm always here for you. You're my best friend and as such, it is my job to take care of you. You know that I love you, right?"

Not able to form a verbal response, she nodded and gave him a sweet smile; one that made him smile in return.

Grabbing her arm, Tommy led her to a set of doors that led outside. "What do you say we grab everyone and head to Avenue over by the studio?" By "Avenue," Tommy was referring to the Avenue Open Kitchen—one of Jude's absolute favorite places. It was the classic greasy diner, but the food was amazing, and all of the wait-staff knew exactly what they liked. Plus, it was located on Camden Street, only a few blocks from the studio.

"Oh that sounds perfect! I am totally craving their chicken poutine!"

Tommy could literally see her mouth begin to water, and he could relate. Avenue Open Kitchen made a poutine that was pretty incredible; something about their gravy was perfect, and he was never able to stop eating the fries. Stepping outside into the cold air, Tommy could see Jude shiver. He put his arm around her shoulders, holding her close, and trying to shield her from the frigid breeze. The pair walked to Tommy's car—Kwest had brought it over earlier that day—and texted their friends along the way. Getting confirmation that they would be joined by Kwest, Sadie, Spied, and Bruno, Tommy and Jude quickly drove to the diner.

…

Not surprisingly, Tommy and Jude were the first to arrive; after greeting the owners, they sat down in their favorite booth. Soon, they were joined by the rest of their group and plates of poutine and a variety of sandwiches made their way around the table. Jude sighed in contentedness: squished in between Tommy and Sadie, resting her head on his shoulder, eating the leftover french fries from everyone's plates.

Tommy felt her movement and looked down, catching her eye and raising his brows in an unspoken question. She knew that he could tell how tired she was, but she didn't want to move. Shaking her head, he only kissed her forehead before responding to a question Bruno had asked.

Eyes opened wide at the feeling of someone shaking her, Jude turned to glare at her sister for bringing her out of her almost-sleep. After a moment, she rolled her eyes and asked, "What?"

"No need to be harsh, little sister!" Sadie slapped her on the arm before continuing, "I have something I need to tell you."

Jude could see her sister's expression change into one full of concern and hesitation. Snapping out of her sleepiness, she grabbed one of Sadie's hands and asked what was going on. After a moment of silence, Jude fully sat up and immediately felt a coolness at the loss of contact with Tommy. Brushing that feeling off, she took hold of both of Sadie's hands. "Sades? What's going on?"

Jude could see her sister take a deep breath and open her mouth. Finally, she began. "We're pregnant," she whispered. After her confession, Sadie looked down at the table and wouldn't meet Jude's eyes.

"You're...I mean...Wow!" The last word was said in a hushed voice, not wanting to catch the attention of anyone around the table. Tommy being the perfect man that he is, looked over at Jude after her quieted exclamation. She didn't acknowledge him, so he put an arm around her and gave her a quick squeeze. That was all Jude needed to shake her out of the stupor Sadie's news put her in. She smiled at her best friend gratefully, and turned back to her sister, glad that Tommy's arm was still around her.

Smiling, Jude confirmed what her sister had told her a moment before. "So, you're really pregnant?" At Sadie's nod, she hugged her, "I'm so excited for you!"

At her comment, Sadie's face transformed into a glowing beacon of joy. "I know, right!"

The sisters separated after another moment, and Jude looked over to Kwest, congratulating him with her smile. Looking back at Sadie, she asked, "When did you find out? How far along are you? What does this mean for the wedding?" Jude selfishly hoped that the wedding would be pushed off, but realized that was pretty far fetched.

Sadie confirmed her suspicions, "I have to look amazing, so we're thinking about three weeks. As for when..." Sadie paused as a blush formed on her face, "well, I've been feeling a little sick for the past couple of weeks—nauseous, sore throat, weird cramping. I went to the doctor a few days ago to get some medication, and officially found out three days ago. Can you believe it?"

"Sadie, I'm so proud of you." Jude was genuinely excited for her sister and Kwest. Smiling at him again, she turned back to Sadie as she continued her talking.

"And I want you to be my maid of honor. Will you?

"Of course! I would love to!"

"Good! I have so many ideas. You can help me plan everything and put the details together. We have so much to do!" She paused again, thinking to herself. Abruptly, she continued again, "We should start with dresses. How does tomorrow sound? After I get off work, say 4:30?"

Jude could only nod in agreement as her sister rambled on for a few more moments. Eventually, Kwest caught her attention and the two began to make sappy, googly eyes at each other. Because the couple were so wrapped up in each other, they didn't notice Jude look away and lay her head back on Tommy's shoulder, nestled into the crook of his arm. Sure, she was excited for Sadie, but what did this mean for her? Closing her eyes, she scooted closer to Tommy and let the exhaustion take over.

A while later, Jude felt someone maneuver her out of the booth; upon slowly opening her eyes, she found that she was wrapped in Tommy's arms and he was carrying her to his car. She relaxed into his grip and closed her eyes again, content to go wherever he was taking her.

Eventually, Jude felt a comfortable mattress beneath her and a comforter pulled over her. With barely a conscious thought left, Jude stripped her jeans off and curled next to Tommy who had crawled into bed next to her. However, sleep would not come and Jude's thoughts were filled with weddings and the anxiety started to kick in. She felt Tommy turn toward her and lay a hand on her cheek. "Babes? Relax. Everything will be okay. Yes, the wedding will make things a bit crazy. But, Kwest already talked to Darius and he said we can wait until after the wedding to work on your album. But don't worry, we can work on music here. Sadie and Kwest will be happy, you and I will be along for the ride, and then, we'll make a hit record. Give it a few weeks and everything will go back to normal. Now, it's nearly one in the morning, we need sleep." Placing a sweet kiss on her lips, he then rolled onto his back and began to drift off.

Jude smiled at his actions, and snuggled close to him. She knew that, if she got to lay next to Tommy in this heavenly bed every night, everything really would be okay. With Tommy next to her, Jude felt a calm take over her body and a sense of peace relax her mind. As long as he was with her, life was pretty much perfect.

"You know I'll always be right next to you, Babes." His voice was barely audible, but enough that Jude understood what he was saying. She heard his breaths lengthen as he finally fell asleep.

Before she could stop herself, Jude whispered, "And that is one of the many reasons I love you Tom Quincy." Exhaustion took over and she closed her eyes, sleep consuming her almost immediately.

…

3:00pm came far too soon for Jude. The obnoxious beeping of Tommy's alarm clock woke her up moments before. Thankfully, Tommy had set his alarm for them, knowing that they would both be able to sleep for days on end now that the tour was over. Jude pulled the pillow out from under Tommy's head and held it to her face.

"Nope, babe. You have to get up."

"Tell Sadie to pick out my dress for me. It's not like I'll get to choose anyway." The loud groan that followed her complaints caused Tommy to chuckle.

"Sorry, sweets. No can do." He got out of bed and pulled the pillow off of her. At his action, she pulled the comforter over her head, hiding from her impending fate of getting up. "Now, if you get up now, I'll make us some coffee. By the time you get out of the shower, it will be ready."

The way she peeked her eyes out from under the blanket brought another smile to his face. "Coffee?"

"Yes, coffee. If you don't take all of the water, I'll even have a pop tart ready for you." He knew that Jude's weakness was her pop tarts. Though he didn't have the same appreciation for them, he understood her love of the simple pastry treat.

"Fine," Jude remarked exasperatedly. "I'm up, I'm up." She crawled out of bed, still in her shirt from the day before and her lace panties. Tommy's breath hitched in his throat seeing her get out of his bed. In that moment, he wanted nothing more than to throw her back into the bed and screw her senseless. Ever since their night in Paris, he had barely been able to keep his thoughts away from her. Yes, they had a good time just hanging out and making music. But he would be lying if he said that his thoughts were strictly platonic. Every time they fell asleep with each other—after watching TV or talking or playing music—he would be plagued with dreams of her. In many, she would be naked and writhing beneath him. In some, they would be curled in bed together, watching something on TV. In a few, they were in various states of undress in the studio, a closet back stage, or a restroom in their favorite restaurant. All of the dreams had left him hard and in pain, needing to release his pent up...frustration. However, there was a very strange one when he had dreamed that he was woken up by a little boy and girl jumping on top of him and Jude. Later in the dream he had realized that the kids were his...his and Jude's. That had left him completely confused, not because it was such a radical idea, but because it had been so normal. When he woke up, he had been almost disappointed that the dream had only been some figment of his imagination.

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Tommy walked over to his closet to grab some clothes and change. In a little over an hour, he would join Jude, Sadie, Kwest, James, and Portia at one of the finest formal wear stores in Toronto. Sadie had gotten a private appointment for the group because of Tommy and Portia's connections, and she was determined that everyone would find their wedding-wear. He was thankful that all he had to do was be fitted for the tux—Sadie had already picked out what the guys would be wearing, which only made his life easier. But, at the thought of Jude having to try on dress after dress, Tommy couldn't hold in his laughter.

His girl had never been much of a shopper, but especially hated shopping for formal wear. Every year all G Major employees had to go to the annual black tie benefit that Darius held in support of some local charity. Jude complained for weeks on end and made up various diseases and afflictions in hopes that she would be spared the night. In the end, she always had to be a part of the event, and if it wasn't for Portia's help, she would look like a ragamuffin.

Portia had been the stylist at G Major since Jude had started interning there. She was Darius' sister, and Tommy's ex-wife. Thankfully, the pair had moved on from their rocky past, and had developed a sort of friendship over the past few years. Their conversations never got too deep, and their lives never intertwined too much, but they were able to interact together and enjoy the little time they spent together. He was grateful that they were on good terms for this wedding.

Dressed for their shopping excursion, Tommy went downstairs to start the coffee he had promised Jude. Without it, she would be a bit of a disaster, and not fully able to function for the rest of the day. Finally, he heard the shower turn off and jogged up the stairs to his room. The only thing he had left to do was his hair, meaning that he would be done about the same time Jude was. Yes, he cared a good deal about his hair, but that was only because he wanted to look good—he had an image to maintain.

…

An hour later, Tommy and Jude were walking in to the store, ready to shop until they dropped. Sadie's squeal pierced Tommy's ears, making him cringe. He looked at Jude, and saw the same pained expression on her face. Once she glanced up at him, they burst out in laughter. Finally getting ahold of themselves, Tommy grabbed his girl's hand and dragged her over toward her sister.

"I'm so glad you're here!" Sadie exclaimed. "We have so much to do! I have about ten dresses I want to try on you, Sis. And there are at least that many dresses I've already set aside. I'm not sure if I want white or ivory. But then again, maybe the cream would work better..." Sadie stopped her rambling for a moment to consider her options. Looking back at the pair, it was like she noticed Tommy for the first time, "Oh, hey Tom. Kwest and his brother are over there. I already had the store set aside what you guys are going to be wearing, you just need to be fit." She waved her hand behind her and turned back to Jude. "Now Jude, we really have to get going. We only have three weeks, so we have to find the perfect dress today. Let's go." Grabbing Jude's hand out of Tommy's grasp, Sadie pulled her off into another area of the store, leaving Tommy by himself.

Shrugging his shoulders, he walked over to where Kwest was standing. Shaking hands and giving him a "man-hug," Tommy asked, "So, what has Sadie picked for us?"

Kwest smiled and showed him the mannequin displaying the tuxedo that they would be wearing. "She thought this would look best with a navy blue vest and bow tie. Something about how it would bring out her eyes to be surrounded by people wearing a little bit of blue."

Tommy laughed at his comment, knowing how like Sadie it was to think about that. "Man, you are so whipped."

"I know, T. But look at it this way. I give her navy vests and bow ties and she gives me the rest of our lives. I think its worth it." Kwest turned toward the dressing rooms, bringing his suit with him.

His comment caused Tommy to stop for a moment, considering the implications it had. Was it worth it to spend the rest of your life with someone? Was there anyone who would make it worth it to wear a bow tie and go through the giant ordeal this wedding was turning into? Tommy couldn't think of anyone he would do that for. The only person who came close was Jude—he would get dressed up in a monkey-suit if it made her smile—but he knew that she would never go through this big of a production. Her wedding would be simple and elegant, with close friends and family, not everyone and their mother dressing to the nines. Hearing Kwest call his name, Tommy turned his head to face one of his closest friends. Kwest looked a little goofy, but the smile on his face was evidence that he was happy—even if it meant wearing that suit. He smiled at the groom-to-be and shook his head, "so whipped, Kwest."

Laughing, Kwest only responded, "Put on your suit, man. You have to look snazzy too."

Tommy picked up the pieces to his wedding attire and walked into a dressing room. "Snazzy, huh?" he asked before closing the door.

After about 45 minutes of being pinned, poked, and fitted to look "snazzy" for the wedding, Tommy was back in his regular clothes and was ready to walk out of the store with Kwest and his brother, James. He hadn't seen or heard Jude the whole time he had been there, and to be honest, he was a bit worried. The Jude he knew would be complaining nonstop after being tortured for hours trying on dresses. Telling the guys to wait for him, Tommy walked over to the dresses section of the store. "Babes? Where are you?" At the funny look he received from Sadie and the sales clerk standing next to her, he quickly looked away and called out, "Jude?"

"What?"

The abrasive tone of her voice made it completely clear that she was not happy. "Calm down, hon. It's just me. What room are you in?" Looking at the wall of dressing rooms, he was trying to figure out where her voice had come from when he saw one of the doors crack open.

"Right here." Tommy walked closer and tried to open the door. He was met with resistance, and, when he raised his brow in question, she told him, "I was attacked by this dress and got tangled in the straps and now I don't have anything on." She closed the automatically locking door and came out a moment later in a silk robe.

He didn't know why, but he was disappointed that she didn't let him in the dressing room. He would have been happy to help. Tommy's thoughts were interrupted when a set of arms encircled his waist. Automatically, his arms went around her, holding her as close as possible.

After a moment, she let go and looked up at him, "Thanks. I really needed that."

The way she spoke to him, quiet and worn out, made him want to take her away from this place. He knew she didn't like dress shopping, but she seemed almost defeated. "Is it really that bad?" he asked.

Jude looked back at where Sadie and Portia were discussing a couple of different dresses. "It wouldn't be so bad except you know how Sadie is. I've only tried on two dresses so far, and was told I was too short, had boy hips, had funny looking shoulders, a stumpy neck, and weird knees." Looking back at him, she said, "Am I really that ugly?"

She asked with such a sincerity that Tommy wanted hit Sadie. Of course, he would never hit a woman, but to make his beautiful best friend question how breathtaking she was, something had to be seriously wrong.

Jude must have sensed his thoughts, because she immediately put a hand on his upper arm, "Babes, stop. It's not worth it. You know she's hormonal and a perfectionist when it comes to this wedding. She just wants everything to be perfect. In a few weeks, it will all be over, and life will go back to some semblance of normal." She took both of his hands in her own, "Now be honest Tommy, do I really look that bad?"

Pulling her into another close embrace, he tried to settle her question, telling her, "Sweetheart, you are beautiful. I don't care if you are in a fancy dress or a potato sack, you are stunning." He paused, and pulled back from her. Wiggling his eyebrows, he finished, "You know, I think you would look beautiful with nothing on. Want me to take a look?" His question, though said in slight jest, brought on an assault to his thoughts, conjuring memories of when they were in Europe, Jude's strip tease, the way she seemed to fit so perfectly against him. The smack on his arm brought him back to the present and he looked back at her. "What?" He masked his slight unease with a smirk, but quickly changed his expression. "Don't let Sadie make you question anything. You are beautiful and that's all there is to it." Hearing the guys call his name, Tommy put up a finger to hold them off another moment. "Now, we're done, but I think we're just going to go back to Sadie and Kwest's place and play some cards. I'll see you after, okay?"

"You mean you aren't going to save me from this madness?" Jude asked with mock surprise. She gave him a quick hug while saying, "Just kidding, hon. Have fun with the boys. I'll see you later...if I make it out alive, that is." A smile graced her face and she gave him a small laugh.

Feeling like she was back to her normal, joking self, Tommy smiled back at her and turned to leave. Looking at Sadie, he decided to give her a bit of advice, "Sadie, don't kill her please." With a smirk, he continued to the door and met Kwest and James before the three left the store, off to a night of cards and beer—male bonding.

…

After Tommy left, Jude endured over three more hours of dresses—long ones, short ones, ugly ones, beautiful ones. In the end, Sadie decided that she would wear the very one she started with. She had to admit, the dress was beautiful. It was a deep navy color with a hint of metallic sheen. The dress was one-shouldered, and showed off her well-defined collarbone. It hit just above her knees, and had a slight flair to the skirt, hiding the pockets it had built in. Jude would be happy to wear it at the front of the elaborate church Sadie had booked for the ceremony. However, it was the fifteen dresses and countless criticisms she had to endure along the way that had Jude irked. Portia too had found a dress, the same color as Jude's, but a simple strapless sheath.

Sadie had also found her dress—a beautiful off-white ballgown with a wide skirt and lots of tulle and sparkles. She had tried on at least thirty dresses, each with a slight variation that required literally hours of debate. The white gown ended up being over $8,000.00, and Jude had nearly suffered a heart attack when she was told the price. A 25% deposit was required, which Sadie had gladly handed over, and finally, around 9:00pm, the girls were headed home. Portia went to her own place, and the sisters walked into their childhood home, now occupied by Sadie and Kwest.

Tommy, Kwest, James, Bruno, and Spied were sitting in the living room on the floor, each with a hand of cards and a beer in front of them. Sadie was on the phone, leaving a message for their father asking him to add more money to her wedding account. Jude walked in, nodded to each of the guys in greeting, and moved in the direction of her best friend, sitting in between him and Spied. But, before her ass hit the ground, a strong arm snaked around her waist and pulled her onto its owner's lap. She smiled at the familiarity of his hold on her, and the kiss he placed on her cheek widened her smile even more. Turning so she could look Tommy in the eye, she asked, "So, how are you doing? Are you winning?"

His smart-ass response was, "Of course, Babes. It is me, after all." Picking up his cards, Tommy showed them to her, "You want to help me take the rest of their money? We're playing Seven Card Stud."

"Hell yes!" Looking at his cards, she whispered her thoughts in his ear as they began to play again. She missed the knowing glances that went around the group. No one was surprised at the closeness the best friends exhibited.

Not thirty minutes later, Jude and Tommy had swept the game, winning everything in the pot, James' sunglasses, and Bruno's new iPod touch with photo capabilities. Jude had taken the iPod—hers was lost somewhere in Asia—leaving Tommy with the shades and money. But, ever the gentleman, Tommy gave Jude an amount just over what her dress had cost, telling her that's what it should be used for. "You know you're the best, right?"

"Only for you, Babes" was his simple response.

Jude's heart felt like singing at his statement. She knew that it was not likely that he meant it, but for a moment, she pretended that it was love that prompted his words. Not wanting to dwell on those thoughts further, Jude stood up, going into the kitchen to find her sister. She had to stop allowing herself to think like that. She knew that Tommy would always be her fest friend, but nothing more. What would he want with her when he had been with models, actresses, and musicians?

Seeing her sister sitting at the island in the kitchen, head in hands, Jude knew something was wrong. "Sades, whats up?"

"Dad said that he couldn't give me any more for the wedding. I've already put a down payment on the dress and I can't get that back. But, I can't afford to pay for the dress and still get the cake and flowers. I don't know what to do!" Tears welled up in Sadie's eyes and the look on her face was one of pure desperation. "What do I do, Jude?"

"Sadie, calm down. I'll talk to Dad in the morning and see if we can work something out, okay?" She knew that this wedding was incredibly important to Sadie, and didn't want to see her so sad.

"Thanks, Jude." Sadie's face instantly brightened with her offer. "And hey, maybe we could sell a couple of your guitars. You don't need all seven, do you?" She got up and walked into the living room where the guys were still hanging out.

Too shocked to say anything, Jude watched her walk away in horror. How the hell could Sadie suggest she give up a couple of her guitars for the sake of the wedding? She knew how important music was to Jude, and she knew that each of those guitars were like prized possessions for Jude. She knew that she had to do something to help Sadie, getting rid of her guitars was just not an option.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Tommy came in and put his arm around her shoulders. "What's up, hon? You look like you saw a ghost."

As much as Jude didn't want to "tell" on her sister, she was still processing what was suggested, and so told Tommy what Sadie had said.

"She said what?" Tommy had a look of shock on his face, eyes wide, mouth open.

"I know. I think she was serious too!" Jude turned to face her best friend, desperately needing his comfort at that moment. "Can you believe it?"

Shaking his head, he told her, "Don't worry. We won't let that happen. You can hide your guitars at my place for now."

A bit of relief washed over Jude. "Thank you," she whispered. "Do you think we could take some of them over tonight?"

"For sure. Let's go up to your room and grab some more clothes too. I think you're pretty much out and we don't have time to do laundry."

"Seriously, what would I do without you Tommy?" The pair linked their hands and walked up the stairs to her room. Tossing a duffel bag at him, Jude started pulling out some clothes and setting them on her bed. Twenty minutes later, they had two bags packed, and three guitars ready to take back to his place.

Both still exhausted from tour and their late night the night before, Tommy and Jude got to his home and got ready for sleep. After washing her face, Jude was sitting on his bed telling him about her time at the dress boutique. Her eyes were beginning to droop, and at one point, she felt him pull her down next to him and throw the comforter over her. The large yawn muffled her "Thank you," as she scooted closer to him. Snuggling into his arms, she quickly fell asleep, wrapped in his comforting and loving arms.

The next morning, a loud pounding on the front door woke Jude far too early. She groaned and pulled the comforter over her head, trying to block out the noises invading her sleep. When the hammering hadn't stopped nearly ten minutes later, she reluctantly threw off the covers and grabbed an old pair of Tommy's sweatpants. Briefly, she wondered where he was, noticing he wasn't in the room or adjoining bathroom, but forgot that when the pounding invaded her senses once again. Stomping down the stairs, she yelled, "I'm coming, I'm coming! Hold your horses!" Finally arriving at the door, she peeked through the peep-hole and saw her sister on the other side. Flinging the door open and walking into the kitchen, she grabbed a mug from the cupboard, needing coffee right away.

Sadie followed her into the kitchen, closing the door behind her. "Why aren't you dressed, Jude? We have to get going...now!"

Closing her eyes and cringing at the sound of her sister's voice, Jude took a huge sip of the coffee, letting the caffeine take over. A few seconds later, she opened her eyes and looked at the clock on the microwave, "Sadie, its only 9:00! We didn't leave your place until close to midnight, and I'm still exhausted from the tour! Where do we have to go anyways?" Jude continued to greedily gulp her coffee, still trying to wake up.

"We have to find the cake."

Though she didn't say it, Sadie's response was clearly meant to say "Duh!" Jude rolled her eyes and refilled her now-empty mug. For the first time, she saw a note in Tommy's familiar handwriting sitting on top of the coffee pot.

_Jude,_

_I had to go to the studio to get some paperwork done. I would love to work on your album a little though—how does 3:00pm sound? I'll swing by here around then to pick you up._

_Call if you need me:)_

_T_

Jude smiled after reading the paper, then turned her attention back to her sister. "Give me a few minutes, okay?"

Only getting a nod in response, Jude rolled her eyes and ran up the stairs. Not ten minutes later, she came back down, ready to go. She had thrown on a pair of skinny jeans and one of Tommy's thermal tees. Because it was cold outside, she had decided on her leather jacket and scarf to keep her warm. The look was completed with some flat riding boots and a fedora she had found in her closet the night before. A little eye liner and mascara, and Jude was ready to go. She may not look as glamorous as Sadie, but to be honest, she just didn't care.

The sisters were off to the cake shop. Jude had asked why she was going and not Kwest, but her question was not answered. Instead, Sadie had asked if she had figured the finance things out yet. "No, Sadie. But have you thought about asking mom? I know you guys keep in touch."

Her sister scoffed in response. "No, Jude! I can't ask mom for money. She's happy with Don and can't spend their money on a wedding. They are thinking of investing in a winery in the south of France, so they don't have a lot of extra cash right now."

Jude was horrified. The potential of starting a winery was more important that Sadie's wedding? And on top of that, did Sadie mean to imply that Jude's music and guitars weren't as important? Years later, Jude still couldn't understand how Sadie still talked to their mom. Victoria had left her girls to gallivant across the world with some man. How dare the woman say that some prospective investment took precedence over her favorite daughter's wedding. Trying to stifle the anger that began to rise up at the thought of her estranged mother, Jude focused on thoughts of going to the studio later.

Darius had given her time off to help her sister with the wedding, but the studio had always been like a second home to Jude. She was excited to work on her own music—something she had only dreamed about for years. She couldn't wait to create an album full of her own songs. Before she knew it, they had pulled up in front of the bakery; Sadie was already out of the car and waiting on the curb, glaring at Jude. Hurriedly, Jude got out of the car and rushed into their destination.

An hour later, Jude was ready to puke. That much cake in the morning was not so good—sure, she loved sweets, but this was crazy. Sadie had discussed designs with their consultant for the whole appointment, but had made Jude taste at least thirty combinations of cake, frosting, filling, and fruit. They were on their way back to Tommy's after running by Sadie and Kwest's place to pick up a couple more guitars. Jude had felt inspired partway through the appointment and had used three different napkins to capture her ideas. For some reason, the way their consultant had begun describing the cake as if it had human emotion had sparked something in Jude—and now she was on a roll. The phrase "You've got the love," was playing over and over in her head, and the moment she ran into Tommy's place, she threw her stuff on the floor and grabbed her journal. She had a couple of hours before Tommy would pick her up, and she wanted to get as far as she could.

Approximately two hours later, Jude had gotten pretty far in her song and was thrilled. She couldn't wait to show it to Tommy—it would be perfect for the wedding, and if she played her cards right, maybe she could get him to play piano for her. The thought of the wedding reminded Jude that she had to transfer money into Sadie's account devoted to all things wedding. After much thought and consideration, Jude decided that she would give money to Sadie. Over the years, she had built up nearly $15K in her savings. It was her dream to one day open a studio of her own, so once she had been hired at G Major, Jude had begun a "studio-fund" as she liked to call it. The only one who knew of her plan was Tommy—they had often talked of opening it together and how they would run thing different from how Darius did.

Calling her bank, Jude was sad to close the account. She put just over $13K into Sadie's wedding account, to which she had gained the access information earlier that day, and the other $2K she put into her personal savings account. Once she built up more reserves, she would start a new "studio-fund." As much as Jude wanted to tell Sadie to get over herself, she was her sister, and Jude felt a responsibility to help make her day perfect. After hanging up with her bank, she accessed the accounts online to make sure that everything looked correct when she heard the front door open.

"Babes?" She heard Tommy's voice break through the silence as he walked in.

"In the kitchen!" she yelled back at him. A moment later, she felt his fingers tickle her side and she burst into laughter, trying to get away from him. "Stop! Stop!"

Thankfully, he did stop and Jude walked over to get her notebook off of the coffee table where she had left it. "You ready to go?"

Tommy didn't respond, instead looking at the computer screen intently. Thinking that he was upset with her for using his computer without asking, Jude quickly said, "I'm sorry for the computer! I know I should have asked, but I just needed to check something real quick. I promise I didn't get into any of your stuff." She had learned her lesson after looking at some files on his computer and finding some pictures from his past. They were only childhood memories from a better time, but Tommy hadn't talked to her for at least ten days because he was so upset that she had invaded his privacy. While that might not be such a big deal now, then she had only known him for a month and he felt violated.

Shaking his head, Tommy quickly responded, "No hon, I don't care if you use my computer, you know that. What I am concerned about is why this random account has so much money in it and why your studio-fund is apparently closed." He looked at her, eyes intense and dark, "Want to tell me what's going on?" Yes, Tommy knew her account information. He had been there to help her open the right kind of account for her studio fund, and had even helped her set up a partial direct deposit of her paychecks to go into the fund.

Taking a deep breath, Jude looked up at him. "Don't be mad."

"Right, because every normal explanation begins with 'Don't be mad'."

"Well, Sadie needed some more money for the wedding. Dad didn't have it and mom wouldn't give it to her because of some vineyard. You know how much this wedding means to her; and with the baby coming, her and Kwest didn't want to put more money to the wedding. I didn't give her the whole studio fund, just some of it."

"How much is some?"

"About $13."

"Jude!" Tommy threw up his hands, and looked at her like she was a bit crazy. "Why would you do that? What about our studio?"

The last comment bugged Jude. It wasn't like he was putting money aside, and they had only ever talked about it in the "what if" sense. "Tommy." After getting his attention, she stopped. As much as she knew it was the right thing to do, she wasn't sure how to put it into words. Eventually, she continued, "Tommy, I had to do it for Sadie, you know that. Since our so-called mother is being ridiculous, someone had to step in. This wedding is something she has looked forward to since she knew what a wedding was. She has literally been dreaming of this day forever. She deserves to have the best." Seeing Tommy calm downs a little, she quickly continued, wanting to difuse any leftover anger. "And as for the studio, don't worry. I'll start the fund again in a few months. And you didn't have any money in that account, so you didn't lose anything. It's not like we would have started the studio next year."

After she finished speaking, Tommy looked at her again, then took her hands in his. "Babes, you know I'm not concerned about the money. I know you feel like Sadie deserves this, but what about what you deserve? And what about the studio? And what about when you get married? You know she would never do that for you!"

"I know, I know. I just felt like it was the right thing to do, ya know? Besides, now I can consider it an investment into Baby Taylor's future." The mere thought of "baby Taylor" brought a smile to Jude's face. She was totally excited to be the fun aunt—always ready with games and music and candy. Of course she wanted her own kids someday, but who knows when that would happen. She had always wanted to be a young mom, but she certainly wasn't the type to get pregnant just so she could have a kid. "Now, let's forget about all of this wedding drama and get to the studio. I need your help on a song—the one Sadie demanded I write and sing at the wedding."

Not letting Tommy get in another word, Jude grabbed his hand and led him toward the front door, pausing only briefly to grab her purse. Not even a minute later, they were on the road to G Major, ready to get back to what they love. Jude was excited to get started on her album, even if it was at a slower pace. The studio was truly a second home to her; now that they were back in Toronto, she wanted to spend as much time there as possible.

The song Tommy performs is _My Best Friend_, by Weezer

Avenue Open Kitchen is an actual diner in Toronto, located on Camden Street.


	7. Chapter 65

Chapter 6.5

A week had passed since Tommy and Jude had first gotten back into the studio. Though they were only working on the song Jude had written for Kwest and Sadie, it felt so perfect and normal for him to be behind the glass, producing her. She was truly a natural—always knowing the right way to adjust her playing or a lyric. She rarely had to do more than a few takes to find the perfect one, and she was always ready for his suggestions and pointers. Tommy had produced many artists over the years, but being completely honest, Jude was the best by far. Maybe it was their connection and friendship, but she always knew exactly what he wanted without him having to say a thing. They still weren't sure if this song was going to go on the album, but she wanted it to be a masterpiece nonetheless.

In addition to spending time in the studio, they had been helping Sadie plan what was quickly becoming the wedding of the century. Tommy still couldn't believe that Jude had just given Sadie all that money. He thought Sadie was being a total bitch about things too—always talking down to Jude or complaining about how things weren't perfect. Nearly every night he had been regaled with tales of how Sadie had chewed someone's head off because it wasn't perfect. During those conversations with Jude, they indirectly talked about how they would do things differently. She told him how she wanted something much more simple—friends and family only. He told her how he would love to get married in a small church or chapel. He was always surprised how similar they were when their conversations veered in that direction.

At this point, most of the details were discussed and plans were in place for the wedding in a couple of weeks. Tommy had just gotten off the phone with James to plan Kwest's bachelor party, and he had overheard Jude discussing Sadie's bachelorette party with Portia just yesterday. Because of the short notice for the wedding, they had to do many things on their own. Tomorrow, Sadie was taking Jude to look at flowers and he would be helping Kwest pick up the centerpieces that Sadie has specially made. However tonight, the four of them would be going to dinner at a little French restaurant, Le Paradis. It was Sadie's favorite—classy and expensive. He always preferred Le Petit Dejuner—a place he had discovered with Jude a few years ago. It was more of a cafe, but the food was incredible and the owner was amazing.

Tommy was just finished getting dressed when the front door opened and quickly slammed closed. "Hi!" Jude yelled as she ran past him.

He knew she didn't take a long time to get ready—in fact, it was one of the many things that made her so different and wonderful from any other girl he had dated. But they had to leave in about five minutes—she had raced through in jeans and a sweatshirt, hair in a messy bun, no makeup on. Buttoning the last button, Tommy grabbed his suit jacket and walked downstairs to make sure he had everything before they had to leave. Setting his keys, wallet, and phone next to his jacket, Tommy walked to the bottom of the stairs and yelled, "Jude, we have to leave soon! You know that, right?"

Not thirty seconds later she came walking down the stairs, stopping for a moment to put on her heels. "Wow. You look fantastic! How did you do that?" She looked like a new person—her hair was down and softly curled, she was in a simple green strapless dress with a blazer over the top and had on yellow heels. Any makeup she was wearing was barely discernible, but somehow her eyes seemed to pop.

"Sorry I'm so late. Sadie had me making the little favors for the reception and I lost track of time. She had a pedicure and went upstairs to get ready when she got back. She wanted them finished by tonight." 

"She should have helped." Tommy couldn't believe that Sadie was using everyone around her like a little slave. "Oh well, let's go" As he watched Jude walk in front of him, he checked her out from behind. The dress she was wearing wasn't overly tight, but it was fitted to her curves and showed off her perfect ass. He wondered what kind of underwear she might be wearing, hoping that it was a pair of those lacy ones she had on in Paris. It would be even better if there was nothing on underneath—if not, it would be perfect for a quickie in a secluded corner, or a restroom, or the back of a cab, or...Stop! Tommy smacked himself on the side of the head. Where had that train of thought come from? He had been so good at keeping those thoughts away for the past few months, what happened? Hearing Jude call for him, Tommy grabbed his keys and followed her out the door and to the car.

After a lengthy drive in a great deal of traffic, the pair arrived at the restaurant. Keys and a warning glare were given to the valet attendant, and Jude led Tommy into Le Paradis and to the table where Kwest and Sadie were seated. The friends agreed that no wedding details would be discussed, and instead caught up on what other things were going on in their lives. Tommy was most excited to hear about the baby from Kwest and Sadie directly—everything he heard had been from Jude until now. At this point, Sadie was only about seven weeks along, but she already had everything planned out. Jude's old room was going to be the nursery and they had agreed on decorating in a jungle animals theme. Sadie had wanted to be surprised as to the sex of the baby, and the animals were pretty gender neutral.

Eventually conversation moved on from babies and turned to music—as it was bound to do with them. Jude told them how excited she was to finally be working on her own album, but that she was hoping she could still work with SME on their new album that would be started the following month. Around when their dinners were brought out, their waitress came to check on the group. All night she had been making eyes at Tommy, and, though he wasn't going to actually do anything about it, it was funny to see Jude's reaction. Every time the gal would come by their table, Jude's hands would ball into fists and her jaw would clench in irritation. She would give one word answers and sarcastic smiles to the girl and roll her eyes the moment she left the table.

"How is everything? Is there anything I can do for you?" The waitress would only look at Tommy, and her second question was accompanied by a hand on his shoulder. She leaned closer to him, trying to show off her cleavage, and batted her eyes as if that would impress him.

He glanced out of the corner of his eye at Jude and could barely contain his laughter. Her face was getting red and she looked ready to burst. Knowing that he would be smacked if he encouraged their waitress too much, Tommy only told her that they were fine, "but thanks so much. The food looks wonderful."

"I'm so glad. If there is _anything_ you might need, just let me know. My name is Tiffani—with an 'I'." Again, there was more eyelash batting before Tiffani left their table.

The moment she turned her back on the group, Jude let out a large sigh and rolled her eyes once again. Thankfully, conversation continued and the group was just about to leave when Tiffani came up to Tommy. Pulling him a step away from the group, she asked, "So, my shift is over in about thirty minutes. What are you doing tonight?"

Tommy coughed to hide his laughter. Anyone could clearly see that he wasn't interested in going anywhere with this floozy of a woman. She clearly had no class and was blatantly offering herself to him. Where would the fun be in that? Having no intention of ever agreeing to this woman's proposal, Tommy thought he could at least torment Jude a bit. "Well, what did you have in mind?" At his response, Jude's eyes shot open and he could feel her glare burning holes in him.

Tiffani put her hand on his chest and leaned closer, "we could go to your place. Tommy Q must have a place with a view, right?" She started rubbing his chest, and it was all Tommy could do to hide his revulsion.

"The only problem with that is my roommate." As he said this, he pointed to Jude and attempted to roll his eyes. "You know how roommates can be." The look of rage on Jude's face was a little too real for Tommy, so he quickly attempted to backtrack. Looking at her, he pleaded her understanding, "I'm kidding. Honestly, Babes, I'm kidding." Jude only looked away and he could feel the panic start to set it. Jude had to believe him—he was only joking around. "Jude..." She didn't look at him and began to walk towards the door, leaving Kwest and Sadie with mouths open. Quickly turning to Tiffani the waitress, he shrugged, saying, "Sorry, I'm really not interested. I was just trying to get a reaction from my girl."

He moved in the direction of the door, but before he could take too many steps, a hand clamped down on his upper arm. "What do you mean? I could show you a good time." Her eyebrows wiggled up and down, trying to be suggestive.

"I'm sure you could, but like I said before: I'm really not interested. Now, I have to go get her." The panic was setting in full force and Tommy knew that he would have to get to Jude soon. The rage he had seen in her eyes had quickly turned to hurt. He should have known that she wouldn't think his little game was funny. She was already feeling lonely with the wedding and baby frenzy, not to mention that she felt a little like she was being kicked out of her house. On top of all that, Tommy knew that she had been having a hard time with whatever drama had happened between them on tour. Hell, he had no idea what the feelings he had been having meant.

Tiffani grabbed his arm more tightly, not letting him go any farther, "No! What does that ugly bitch have that I don't? Come on!"

Forcefully removing her hand from him, Tommy was completely irritated and spoke slowly and deliberately, "Let me go." He turned and stomped out the door, on a mission to find his girl Looking down the street both ways, he couldn't see her anywhere. "Jude! Where are you, Jude?" He began yelling in different directions, the desperate need to find her increasing. A moment later, he felt a hand on his back, and he turned to face Kwest and Sadie.

"Tom, you know how she is. Just give her a little time to cool off. Go back to your place and you'll see her soon enough."

He knew Kwest was right. Jude was impulsive and stubborn. If she was mad at him, she would be for a while. Maybe the best thing was to just go home. Looking intently in both directions to see if he could catch a glimpse of her, Tommy made a last-ditch effort to find her. Shoulders slumping in disappointment, he turned back towards his friends and the valet. Grabbing his keys and tipping the man, he decided to follow their advice. He would go back to his place and wait for her. She had to show up at some point, right? The unease in the pit of his gut told him things might not work out so easily, but without any other real options, he got in the car anyways. Speeding off into the night, thoughts of Jude plagued him. She was tough, but this was Toronto at night. It was cold out—fall was quickly turning into winter—and you never know who you might find on the streets. He double checked to ensure that his phone was on and easily accessible, and continued in the direction of home, knowing that if his girl needed him, at least he would be ready.

…

Jude woke up to the coffee grinder whirring and a door slamming. Her neck hurt from the awkward position in which she had fallen asleep on the couch. Tommy's comments last night had left her numb and lonely. She knew that he would never think of her the way she thought of him. He was her best friend, but nothing more. Yes, she loved him. Jude had come to accept that the love she felt for Tommy was one sided. She wouldn't give up their friendship for anything, but she had needed some time away from him. After he told that he was kidding, she hadn't known how to react. A part of her had known that he wasn't serious with their waitress, but their interaction had further proved that she was not the one he would take home. Would she only ever be the best friend and roommate?

"Oh good! You're up." Sadie's voice interrupted her thoughts. "We have to get going pretty soon. My dress fitting is in an hour and then we are going to look at flowers. Somehow there was money added to the wedding account...we have to put it to good use!" Pulling the blanket off of her, Sadie finished by saying, "Get up, sis! We have to go!"

Before she could even think about getting ready, Jude needed a cup of coffee. Grabbing a mug from the cabinet she poured herself a cup and headed upstairs. Thankfully, she still had a few clothes left here, so not forty minutes later, Jude was ready to go. On the way to the boutique, she could tell that Sadie wanted to ask her something, and she had a feeling it was about last night. "Sadie, just ask."

A startled look graced Sadie's face, but she shrugged, "What happened last night?"

Though she knew the question was coming, Jude didn't know how to respond—should she be honest and admit that she was in love with her best friend or just say she needed some time to herself. Deciding that honesty was always the best policy, she took a breath and told her sister, "I couldn't do it. I knew that he was joking with that girl, but it made me realize that he would never feel that way for me. I'm in love with my best friend, and there's nothing I can do about it." Looking out the window, Jude finished her thought, "Last night it just became real, you know?"

The lack of response from Sadie made it clear to Jude that her words had shocked her sister. Ten minutes later of no words being spoken, the pair pulled up to the bridal boutique and went in. Before getting to the counter, Sadie grabbed her arm and asked, "Jude, where were you last night. I was up until at least midnight and you weren't home, but this morning when Kwest got coffee, you were asleep on the couch."

"Oh, I walked. The air helped clear my head." Jude didn't know why her sister was so concerned. Sure, it was a long walk, but there wasn't anything to worry about—she always carried pepper spray with her.

"You walked?" Sadie screeched. "What the hell were you thinking, Jude?"

"Calm down, I was fine. I stayed on the main streets and it only took a few hours. I was home around 1:30 or 2:00." Not wanting to discuss her evening stroll any further, Jude walked up to the counter and asked the associate for Sadie's dress. After assuring that her dress was perfect, Sadie paid for the remaining balance with her newly had funds and the sisters were off again.

Jude was shocked that Sadie hadn't questioned anything about the rise in the funds of her wedding account. She had acted as though it was normal that the fund had increased by over $13,000.00—that was a lot! Oh well, less explaining to do for Jude. The pair walked into the florist shop, Sadie immediately going to the chairs off to the side. Jude stopped all movement, closing her eyes, and taking in the scents. After a moment, she followed Sadie to the chairs and sat down.

Nearly three hours later, a floral masterpiece had been created for Sadie's wedding; at over $7,000.00 dollars, it better be a masterpiece. Jude could never imagine spending that much on flowers, especially in the intricate and extravagant designs that Sadie had picked out. She had always wanted to carry a simple bouquet of hydrangeas. Maybe with some bay leaf garland too. Regardless, it would be simple and beautiful.

Feeling her stomach growl, Jude realized how hungry she was. Not surprising considering she hadn't eaten all day long. Begging Sadie to get some food, her sister reluctantly agreed. "Fine, lets go. There's a cafe a couple of blocks from here. We can walk."

Along the way, Jude wasn't surprised when Sadie brought up Tommy again. "Jude, you just have to let it go. Tommy always has been and always will be a player. Sure, he's a nice guy, but he only cares about himself. Find a good guy, stop thinking about Tommy."

"Right, because it's that easy. I'll just stop thinking of him." Jude rolled her eyes at her sister's words. Like it was that easy to get over Tom Quincy. Sadie had been infatuated with him for years, shouldn't she understand a little bit how her had this hold on women?

"I know, I know. But Jude, you have to know that someone will come along and be the right one. The one who knows how to make you laugh and smile all the time, the one who listens when you need him to, the one who knows when you just need a hug, the one who you want to tell everything to and share everything with, the one who is like your other half. You'll find that someday."

Clearly Sadie didn't understand the depth of Jude's feelings. "That's just it, Sadie! Tommy is all of those things! He is the one I want to share everything with and the only one who knows how to make me smile when life sucks. Who do you think I called when mom left? Who do you think I called as soon as I found out about the tour?"

"Jude, I know you think Tommy is the only one who will ever be that person for you, but there will be someone else. It has to go both ways."

"Don't you think I know that? Sadie, I get it! I know Tommy will never feel that way about me, but it doesn't mean I can just turn off these feelings. I fucking love the man!" Putting her face in her hands, Jude tried to stop the tears from falling, but a few escaped despite her efforts. Taking a deep breath to clear her head and focus her attention on getting to the cafe, Jude looked up again.

Sadie looked surprised at her sister's response, and quickly grabbed her in a tight embrace. "I'm so sorry, Jude. Forget this food, lets get some ice cream and go home. We'll kick Kwest out for the night."

With a weak smile, Jude nodded her agreement. At the moment, nothing sounded better than overdosing on cookies-n-cream ice cream with her sister and watching a cheesy chick-flick.

Hours later, the two were ready to pass out on the floor, three empty containers that once held ice cream scattered around them. Jude had some confidence that, despite the man she loved didn't love her back, she would be alright. Sadie had told her to stay at the house for as long as she wanted, she was always welcome. She had also decided to take Spied up on his offer and move into the rehearsal space. It may not be the most conventional place to live, but at least it wasn't with Tommy. Maybe some separation would help the situation. Jude knew that her feelings for Tommy would not go away easily, maybe she would never be completely free of them. But she would be alright, she could exist outside of those feelings. With that thought offering a bit of hope for the future, Jude slid into a restless sleep.

…

Tommy was sitting in his kitchen, drinking a cup of coffee and thinking about what his day would entail. Today he was determined to rectify things with Jude. He hadn't spoken to her in over a day, and all attempts at contacting her had come without response. He knew that she was upset about dinner the other night, but he couldn't apologize if she wouldn't speak to him. He had been especially confused at Jude's lack of response; thankfully, Kwest had come over the night before and explained everything to him. Thinking back, he had been shocked at Kwest's first words as he came in the front door.

"You're an idiot, man."

"What the hell?" Tommy had been shocked by the statement. "I allow you to come over and crash for the night, and that's the first thing you say?"

"What do you expect, Tom? It's your best friend who is at my house in tears because of last night. Why the hell would you do that when you know how she gets?"

It was true, everyone knew how possessive Jude could be, especially when it came to annoying skanky groupies. But, thinking back, Tommy could only smirk in response, "She looks so cute and sexy when she's mad. She gets this determined look in her eyes and clenches her jaw—its kind of awesome. I couldn't help it." At the last comment, he shrugged, knowing that his answer was not a good one—at least he was being honest. 'I didn't think she would take me seriously. She knows I would never go for that kind of girl."

"Sure, you know that and I know that, but what makes you think that she would ever know that? You are a perpetual flirt!"

"Maybe I do flirt with girls some, but I don't do the whole one-night-stand thing anymore. I need more than that, and she knows it! There has to be more to it."

Tommy could tell that there was something Kwest hadn't told him, but after repeated tries at getting the information out of him, he got no where. Kwest was being very tight-lipped. He had only revealed that Jude was dealing with a lot of change at the moment and feeling a bit alone. Tommy's comment had further intensified those lonely feelings.

With a bit of understanding, Tommy had vowed to find Jude the following day. The panic from the night before hadn't gone away, and he knew that he couldn't leave things with Jude like this for very long. He hated not talking to her and didn't like not knowing where she was. After dinner a couple of nights ago, he had barely slept a wink because he was so worried for Jude. Did she not know how dangerous that was to be walking late at night? Once they were back on good terms, he would have to talk to her about that. With that thought in mind, Tommy finished off his coffee and ran upstairs to finish getting ready.

Thirty minutes and a phone call later, Tommy and Kwest were off to Spied's rehearsal space. Knowing that he would need to execute a minor ambush on Jude in order to talk to her, Tommy had made Kwest call Sadie to see where the sisters were. After finding out that they were at the rehearsal space Spied and SME rented out, they were off, first stopping to get Jude some coffee, knowing that would soften the blow of being ambushed.

After what seemed like forever, they arrived at the rehearsal space, Tommy triple-checking that his car was locked because the area was awful. The rent may be cheap, but the location was terrible—the highest crime in Toronto. He was glad to see Sadie's car in the lot, but was surprised to find it full of boxes. Shoving the door open, Tommy walked in to the space to find his girl carrying a heavy box across the room. Setting the coffee down, he rushed over to help her, taking the box out of her hands. He could tell that she was about to thank him, but, upon realizing who was helping her, she turned away. After setting the box down, he grabbed her arm and led her to the coffee he had brought, determined to work things out. "Jude, we have to talk sometime."

"No, we don't. There's nothing to talk about. It was a joke and now everything is okay." She turned to walk outside again, he assumed to grab more boxes.

Not wanting her to leave until they had finished their talk, Tommy jogged in front of her and stopped her again, placing both hands on her shoulders. "Babes, you know I didn't mean it. She's not even close to my type." He said the last part hoping to get a smile, but all he got was a blank stare that looked away after a moment.

"But..." Jude paused, clearly unsure how to continue.

"What is is, sweets?"

"Am I in your way?

"Of course not! What would make you think that?" Tommy didn't know why she would ever think she was in his way. He loved having her around.

"Its just, I know she's not your type, but what about when someone is? What happens when you find someone who you want to spend the night with or who you want to have over? You haven't gone on a date in forever, and I know its been longer since you've...been with someone. I don't want to be the reason you aren't finding some perfect woman."

Tommy felt her shoulders slump beneath his hands, and he saw the tears in her eyes. Was this really because she thought she was cramping his style? It may have been a while since he found someone worth dating, let alone worth sleeping with, but in no way was that Jude's fault. He just didn't find many women interesting. Especially since being back in Toronto for a couple of weeks, Tommy found that he would much rather watch a movie with Jude than take some irritating groupie to dinner. "Babes..." When she wouldn't look at him, Tommy embraced Jude in a tight hug. "Babes, you aren't keeping me from finding a woman. Its not your fault that no one around here is as interesting or fun as you are. Is that what this was about?"

Jude didn't answer for a moment, but finally said, "I just had to make sure that I wasn't becoming too dependent on you. You need more than some clingy best friend."

Her words shocked him. He had never considered her clingy, and even if she was, she was his favorite person to be around. "Hon..." Before he could continue, another voice interrupted him.

"Its true, Tom. You both need more friends. Besides, Jude deserves to find someone too." Sadie set down another box and walked toward the door.

Still holding Jude, he turned his head toward Sadie, "Stay out of it, Sadie. Is this the reason Jude was so worried? You know she's way better than any groupie, and I love having her around." Turning back to the girl in his arms, he whispered, "I love having you around, Babes."

A quiet, "Are you sure?" was asked of him.

"Positive. I don't want you going anywhere." The mere thought of Jude not being around made Tommy's chest constrict and his brow sweat. She was his favorite part of the day, why the hell would he give that up? If and when some other "perfect woman" came into the picture, they would deal with it. Until then, they would continue being Tommy and Jude, best friends and musical genius'. Pulling back slightly so he could see her face, he asked, "Now, what are all these boxes for?"

Jude looked back at the stack that was forming on the far side of the room and then glanced back at him. "Since Sadie and Kwest want my old room to be the nursery, I decided to move my stuff here. Spied told me I could stay here as long as I needed."

Shock filled Tommy's face. Before he could stop himself, the words were out of his mouth. "Jude, you can't stay here! It isn't safe! Who knows what kind of creeps hang around this place at all hours of the night? You should stay with me." Why would she move? Jude hadn't slept somewhere other than his place—last night excluded—since arriving back in Toronto, and Tommy wouldn't have it any other way.

"I can't do that, hon. I don't want to take up more of your space."

"No. You aren't." He didn't understand why it was so hard for her to just agree to stay with him. At least he knew she would be safe and taken care of.

"Tommy, I'll have to find my own place eventually. I can't just mooch off of you forever."

Her argument fell on deaf ears, there was no way he would let her stay here in this crummy studio space. "Babes, no. If you want, I'll help you look for a place of your own, but until then, you're staying with me. End of discussion." With that, he kissed her lightly on the corner of her mouth as if to quell any further disagreement. Startled by his own actions, Tommy quickly moved away from her and asked, "So, lets grab the rest of your clothes and take them to my place. Then, we can have some fun. How does going by the pier sound?"

Jude showed him which boxes contained the rest of her clothes and they were quickly loaded into his car. Tommy ignored the glares that Sadie was sending his way, and brushed off the questioning glances that Kwest was giving him. Right now, nothing mattered more than making Jude understand that she couldn't be replaced as easily as she thought. She was his best friend—there was no way he would let her go.

…

A week had passed since the encounter at the rehearsal space. Sadie had gotten more hormonal and crazy by the moment, and Jude was trying to avoid her like the plague. She continued to help out with wedding details, making sure that things were getting done and being checked off the list. Tomorrow was the rehearsal, and the following day was the wedding, and Jude thought it couldn't come soon enough. As she waited for Tommy to come downstairs, she thought about the night before.

Tommy had a late dinner meeting with one of the major investors, so he wasn't going to be home. She had called Spied to see if he wanted to hang out, and not twenty minutes later, he had shown up with Wally and Kyle for a game of "Truth or Truth." The four had played for hours, stopping only when Tommy had called to say he was leaving the restaurant and asked Jude to put on some hot water for when he got home. Through the course of the night, Jude had found out that Wally had a crush on Sadie, Kyle had always wanted to be an astronaut, and Spied liked getting facials. However, Jude had confessed that she was in love with Tommy, and that had kind of taken the cake. Before he left, Spied had told her that she shouldn't give up on Tommy so easily—there might be hope for them yet.

Regardless of how much Jude wanted that to be true, she had tried to push the thought out of her mind. She couldn't give herself a false hope and get heartbroken in the end. The sound of footsteps coming down the stairs interrupted her thoughts, and she looked up to see her handsome best friends nearing the bottom of the staircase.

"You ready, Sweets?"

Smiling, she simply nodded, tossing him his keys, and then saying, "You bet. Let's get out of here." And just like that, they were off to the studio. This had become a normal part of their routine—waking up together, getting ready, getting some work done at the studio, coming home and watching TV or a movie, eat some dinner, and fall asleep again. They had inadvertently worked out a "shower-schedule" and were able to time their getting ready so they were done at the same time. As much as Jude had tried to stay away from him emotionally, Tommy knew exactly how to make her fall for him over and over.

The little things he did like opening doors and getting her coffee were nice...he always cooked or ordered food he knew she would like...he would tuck her in at night to make sure she felt safe and secure...and he was always holding onto her or being near her, telling her he liked having her close. At night when they would watch TV he would have his arm around her or have her lay down—head on his lap. When they would stop for coffee, he would know exactly what she wanted—whether it was her normal au lait, or a latte or cappuccino she felt more in the mood for. If she started getting stressed out, he knew how to make her smile and laugh. When there was a melody or lyrics that were on the tip of her tongue, he was the one who brought them out.

Tommy knew her better than anyone. Living with Tommy had been wonderful, and Jude was terrified at what would happen when he made her move. She had come to think of his place as "home," even more so than G Major. When she thought of relaxing, she thought of crawling into his comfortable bed and putting on a movie. Even when she wanted to hang out with Spied the other night, she had started to invite him to "her place," only barely catching herself and amending her words at the last moment.

A hand on her knee startled Jude out of her thoughts, and her best friend's voice brought her back to the present, "You okay, space cadet? We've been sitting in the lot for about five minutes now."

The slight grin on his face did nothing to stop her own smile from shining through. "Sorry." Jude shrugged, and continued saying, "just a lot on my mind, ya know?"

Rolling his eyes, Tom responded, "Oh, I know. Your sister has officially gone crazy! I got a text this morning saying we should count the number of programs to make sure there was enough. But I took them to the printer and told them to make about fifty extra—no need to count again."

A small chuckle left Jude's mouth as she thought of her sister. This past week she had gotten even more obsessive about all things wedding related, so Tommy and her had stayed away as much as possible. The studio had became their hideout until Sadie had stormed in a couple days before. Yesterday they had sequestered themselves in Tom's office with the door locked—him catching up on paperwork, her working on some new songs. Jude hoped that today they would do the same. Anytime she could be in a locked room with Tom Quincy, she was happy.

Mentally slapping herself upside the head, Jude forced her thoughts away from the possibilities of being in a locked room with him. She couldn't let herself think like that! It would only make things harder in the end. Thinking of Tommy's previous comment about her crazy sister, Jude grabbed his hand, "At least we can escape into a music-making paradise, right?"

"Piles of paperwork is not exactly what I consider a paradise, but if it gets me away from psycho-Sadie, then I'll take it. Let's go." Nodding his head toward the building, Tommy let go of her hand.

Jude was struck with the loss of warmth, and again scolded herself for thinking those thoughts. She followed him into the building and into his office. Tommy sat down at his desk and put a set of headphones on so he could listen to the final mix of SME's concert CD. Jude grabbed his Taylor Grand Auditorium 815ce and sat on the floor. She sighed in contentedness, loving the feel of this guitar, innately knowing that it would be perfect for the song she was trying to put on paper.

The past couple of day, Jude had come to terms with the fact that she loved Tommy, and that he didn't love her back. As much as she tried to ignore those feelings, they were real. And, as she told Sadie, those feelings wouldn't just go away. She thought that maybe by putting them into a song, she could move past them. That was what today was about—moving on with her life. She could see how perfect they could be together, but it wouldn't work if he didn't meet her halfway and feel at least a fraction of what she did.

Closing her eyes, Jude let her fingers feel the strings beneath them and took a deep breath to center herself. After a moment, her mind was flooded with all of the things she wanted to say but didn't have the courage to, and she began to write. Completely losing track of time, Jude was lost in the emotion of her song. Hours passed, people came and went from Tommy's office, and she was clueless. So surrendered to the power of the music and words she was creating, Jude didn't notice when the clock struck five and Tommy began packing up.

As she looked over the finished song, she felt that it would be a masterpiece. Playing it once through one last time, she knew that, if it were ever to be released, it would be a hit. She wasn't being cocky or full of herself, Jude just knew that the emotions were so real and raw that anyone who heard it would feel those same things. Closing her journal, Jude gathered her things into her bag and stood up. Stretching a bit, she looked around the room and saw Tommy sitting on his couch. Almost startled to see him, she asked, "Oh, hi. What time is it anyway?"

"Almost six. I take it you were feeling inspired?"

Smiling, Jude shook her head, "Just a bit, yeah."

Standing up from his place on the couch, he walked over to her and attempted to grab the journal from her. "First hit for the album?" Again, he tried to swipe the journal from her, "Come on, let me see it."

The look on his face was like that of a sad little boy, and it was hard for Jude to resist. But, she knew that he would only ask questions, something she didn't want to answer. "Nope, lets go. Maybe you'll get to see it later. Come on." Side-stepping him, Jude walked to the door and pulled it open. Turning her head to face Tommy, she asked, "You comin'?"

Rolling his eyes with a smile, he followed her out the door and to the car. They headed home and continued their evening as usual. Tommy made fettuccine alfredo with grilled veggies, which Jude loved, and then shared some vanilla bean ice cream while watching _Sabrina_—Jude's favorite movie. She began to get sleepy, and only forty minutes into the movie, she was falling asleep. She could feel the strong arms of her best friend and love grab her and carry her to his room. In her partially sleepy state, Jude thought about how nice it would have been if he was carrying to their room and they would be drifting off to sleep as lovers and soul mates, not just best friends. Resigning herself to the position she held as best friend, Jude settled into the comfort of the bed. The feeling of an arm wrapped around her waist only made her more comfortable. She ignored her common sense that told her to move away from him and instead cuddled into his arms, drifting into a fantasy world of marriage and babies, and loving every moment of it.

Le Paradis is an actual restaurant in Toronto, located on Bedford Road.

Le Petit Dejuner is an actual restaurant in Toronto, located on King Street East.


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Jude stepped into the cold and gratefully accepted her jacket from the handsome man standing behind her. "Mmm, thanks Babe. Its freezing out here." She turned to smile at him. "I guess this is goodbye, huh?" Tonight, she would be going over to Sadie's for her last night at a "single woman." Though Portia, the other bridesmaid, couldn't come tonight, it would be a fun night for the sisters to share. The only thing that bummed Jude out was that spending the night with Sadie, she wouldn't be at Tommy's. The past week she had some to see Tommy's place as home. She would miss their nightly ritual of TV or a movie in his bed and chatting about their day. Knowing that this was her chance to say goodbye, she pulled Tommy into a tight hug. "I'm gonna miss you tonight. Watching a movie with Sadie just won't be the same if I'm not in your comfy bed."

She could feel him hold her more tightly, "Well, you could both come to my bed, Babes. I would be okay with that...the three of us could have some fun." He pulled back from her a smirked, wiggling his eyebrows.

Classic Tommy, Jude thought. Hitting him on the arm, she told him, "You are such a perv! Stop it!" After hitting him, she lost her balance and nearly fell off of the curb. Thankfully, her knight in shining armor was there to save her, grabbing her around the waist and bringing her upright again.

He placed a kiss on her forehead, telling her, "Babes, did you have too much to drink?"

The knowing look he gave her told Jude he knew she might have had one glass of wine too many. "I might have had an little much, but I'm not wasted!" she exclaimed.

"I know, Hon; but I do think you are a bit tipsy."

"That's probably true. But it doesn't change that I'll miss you." Jude was surprised at how much this was affecting her. She was excited to spend time with Sadie, but she would truly miss having Tommy next to her.

"I'm gonna miss you too. Kwest and James won't look near as pretty in my bed." The smile he gave her was one of sincerity, and Jude knew that he was probably feeling a bit more than his words might let on.

Pulled out of Tommy's grasp by someone grabbing her arm, Jude was startled at the interruption. The harsh words of her sister further invaded her senses, "Jude, come on! We have to get back to the house so we can start having fun. Now let's go!"

Under her breath so only Tommy could hear, Jude commented, "Because heaven forbid we have fun before then." Glaring at him as he began to chuckle, she rolled her eyes. "Well, I guess this is adios. See you in the morning?"

"You know it, Sweets." He gave her one more hug, "I'll be ready and waiting with coffee in hand."

"Oh, you know how to make a girl smile. You're the best." Jude's heart smiled at the thought of seeing him in the morning with coffee. She wasn't sure what she would would be more happy to see—him or the coffee? As much as Jude loved her coffee, especially knowing that Sadie didn't have any around since becoming pregnant, the answer was easy. Tommy would win every time.

"Try to have fun with Sadie, okay?"

"I will. You're the best. You know that, right?" She gave him a quick peck—one that was meant to be on the cheek, but when he turned his head slightly, Jude caught Tommy on the edge of his mouth. As much as she knew that it was wrong, it felt perfect to kiss him. Things between them felt so right tonight.

As Sadie pulled her away to the car, Jude thought back on the rehearsal. Things had gone well, everyone knew where they were supposed to be; Jude knew that the ceremony would be perfect. Her dad had cried during the whole thing, and she hoped he had gotten most of his tears out that night. Nonetheless, she was excited that he was able to get back in time for the wedding. A business trip had called him away a few weeks ago, and he told the girls he would make sure he was back. But Jude had concerns that he would be able to make it. Thankfully, he had flown in that morning, and she had picked him up at the airport with Tommy.

From the rehearsal, the group had moved on to dinner. The night had been full of sweet moments, especially between Tommy and her. They had a few glasses of wine, and it had made Jude extra emotional. All through dinner, she had been sitting next to Tommy, almost in his lap for most of the night. They had whispered jokes to each other—commenting on diners they saw at the restaurant, laughing at Sadie and how compulsive she was, making fun of the sappy faces Kwest was giving Sadie.

They had been surrounded by other couples all night long, so naturally, they acted more like a couple than usual. Tommy was ever the gentleman—opening doors, pulling out her chair, getting her a drink, ordering for her, always keeping her close. At some points, Tommy had gotten a little touchy, grabbing her ass, but it had felt so normal to Jude, that she hadn't commented on it. While they were waiting to be seated, the pair had even swayed to the background music. It had been a night full of sweet kisses, wonderful moments, small hugs, and, if she was being honest, lots of love. Jude knew that Tommy may not feel the same, but at the end of the night, anyone looking at the pair would have thought they were together. Some part of her knew that she was living in a fantasy world tonight, but she liked pretending for one night that this was real.

Before she could contemplate the night further, the car was stopped and Sadie was yelling for her to come inside. They had arrived at her childhood home, and the night of fun was supposed to begin. Changing into some comfy pajamas, the sisters sat in front of the fireplace, a cup of tea in hand.

Sadie had been going over the last minute details for the wedding for the last hour. But Jude had enough. "Sades, stop talking about the wedding. Tomorrow you are getting married. Are you excited?"

The smile the graced Sadie's face was brilliant. "Seriously, Jude, I can't wait! I'm so excited to be Mrs. Kwest Taylor...it's been such a long time coming! I mean, we've been together for like, five years. It's about time!"

Her excitement was contagious, and the two talked a bit more about marriage. Sadie told her plans for the honeymoon—the newly married couple would be heading off to Aruba for a week. Eventually, Sadie asked, "What's going on with you and Tommy, Jude? I noticed how close you guys were tonight."

By now, the alcohol had worn off and Jude sighed. She wasn't surprised at her sister's question, in some way she had been expecting it. A moment later, she responded, "Nothing has changed. We're still best friends, I still love him. Really, there isn't much else to it."

"Jude, you have to at least try to move on."

"I know, Sadie. I know. It's not like I'm trying to stay in love with the guy who won't love me. I just haven't exactly had time to meet lots of guys in the past couple of weeks." Her frustration was evident.

"I know. Once we get back from our honeymoon, Kwest and I will help you find someone. It'll be okay, you'll see." Sadie pulled her sister close, "Have you tried writing about it, that usually helps, right?"

Jude smiled at her sister's suggestion. She was right, writing always helped in the past, but this time, it hadn't gotten rid of her feelings. Jude told her sister to stay put while she grabbed her guitar. "It's funny you should mention that. I tried to do that earlier this week, but, it hasn't really worked yet. Tell me what you think..." With that, Jude started strumming on her guitar and began singing.

_Take time to realize,  
That your warmth is. Crashing down on in.  
Take time to realize,  
That I am on your side  
Didn't I, Didn't I tell you._

But I can't spell it out for you,  
No it's never gonna be that simple  
No I cant spell it out for you

If you just realize what I just realized,  
Then we'd be perfect for each other  
and will never find another  
Just realized what I just realized  
we'd never have to wonder if  
we missed out on each other now.

Take time to realize  
Oh-oh I'm on your side  
didn't I, didn't I tell you.  
Take time to realize  
This all can pass you by.. Didn't I tell you

But I can't spell it out for you,  
no its never gonna be that simple  
no I can't spell it out for you.  


_If you just realized what I just realized  
then we'd be perfect for each other  
then we'd never find another  
Just realized what I just realized  
we'd never have to wonder if  
we missed out on each other now._

It's not always the same  
no it's never the same  
if you don't feel it to.  
If you meet me half way  
If you would meet me half way.  
It could be the same for you.  


_If you just realized what I just realized  
then we'd be perfect for each other  
then we'd never find another  
Just realized what I just realized  
we'd never have to wonder  
Just realized what I just realized_

missed out on each other now  
missed out on each other now

When she finished, Jude looked up at her sister trying to gauge her reaction. When no response came, she broke down and asked, "Well, what do you think?"

"Jude, that's... I'm speechless. That was amazing."

"Thanks. Now if only the song would have worked and I could forget about him, huh?" Jude laughed a bit, trying to brush off the frustration she still felt.

Sadie grabbed her arm, pulling her off the couch. "Forget him for tonight. Let's just go upstairs and sleep. I need to be at my best for tomorrow. We'll sleep and then tomorrow starts day one of 'Get Jude a Man'."

Again, Jude laughed, but followed her sister up the stairs. "You changed the sheets, right?"

"Of course! Now, its bed time, because tomorrow I get married!"

While Sadie fell asleep right away, Jude lay in bed for a few more hours. She thought more of Tommy and more about the 'what ifs' of their relationship...or lack thereof. Maybe one day she really would be okay...eventually. With that thought in mind, she finally fell asleep.

…

Grabbing a beer out of the fridge for himself, Tommy then tossed one to Kwest and James. He went over to the couch and made himself comfortable. "So, Kwest, are you excited for tomorrow?"

With a dreamy look on his face, Kwest responded, "You know it man. I seriously can't wait to be married."

"Well, I'm excited for you, even if I don't get it, I can tell it's right for you. It has been a long time coming...five years?"

"Yeah, it's about time! I am pretty stoked. But what about you, man?"

Before Tommy could answer, James jumped in asking, "Yeah Tom, when are you getting engaged?"

Surprised, Tommy looked at Kwest and James in confusion. "What do you mean, engaged? I'm not getting engaged." What was James talking about?

"What about Jude? You guys were so cozy and cuddly tonight. And my little bro told me you bought her an engagement ring. Don't rings usually mean engagement?"

Tommy wasn't sure how to respond. Shaking his head, he asked, "What are you talking about? Kwest? I didn't buy Jude an engagement ring." Why would Kwest say that?

"I didn't say engagement ring. I told him you bought her a ring...no engagement." Kwest slapped his brother on the arm, "_Listen_, man."

James' eyes were wide with shock. "Wait, let me see if I understand this. You bought Jude a ring. But you aren't proposing. In fact, you aren't even dating. Did I get that?"

"Yeah. Is that so strange? She's my best friend, and I know that she'll love it." Tommy still didn't understand what the big deal was. The ring screamed JUDE, why the hell wouldn't he get her something that made him think of her?

"Dude, you bought the girl a ring." The look he was giving Tommy made him feel like he was missing something. Seeing the confusion plastered on Tommy's face, James asked, "Well, can I at least see the ring?"

Tommy got a giant smile on his face. "Hang on, let me grab it." With that, he literally ran up the stairs and went to his office to grab Jude's present. Bringing it back down to the guys, he opened the little black box that encased it, showing it off to the two men with him. Their eyes were wide in surprise at the sight of the beautiful and sparkling piece of jewelry.

James asked one more time, "Are you sure you aren't getting engaged?"

Throwing his hands up, Tommy's eyebrows rose in confusion and frustration. "Seriously guys, you have to explain why this is such a big deal. I don't get it, but obviously this is a crazy idea to give this to Jude. Lay it out for me." Tommy took a seat on the coffee table and faced his two friends, ready for their explanation.

Kwest looked at his brother and then looked back at his best friend. "Dude, you're giving her a ring. And it isn't just some cheap piece of junk. This is an incredible and unique engagement ring that cost nearly $100K. You don't just give that to a friend you have no romantic feelings for."

"It's true, man. There has to be more to it for you to give her a ring because it made you think of her." James looked at Tommy questioningly, as if expecting him to respond.

Tommy did just that. "Well, yeah. I mean, I wouldn't just give her a ring after recording one day."

"So, when would you give it to her? Why are you going to give her the ring?"

"I want to give it to her because she's amazing. She is so talented and so incredible. She has this passion that if completely infectious—and not just in music, but in life! She always wants to be the best, and she makes me want to be the best. I've never had anyone who expected to much from me because she thought I could actually do it. She is literally the only one who can make me smile and laugh on a crappy day. She is the first one I want to call when something amazing happens." Tommy paused for a moment, trying to gather some of his thoughts. Closing his eyes, he thought about Jude and smiled. Unintentionally, he continued talking, "She's always there for me, no matter what. I want that ring to be a symbol that I'll always be there for her too." Opening his eyes and looking at Kwest, Tommy said, "No offense, Kwest, but she is the best thing that ever happened to me." He shrugged after finishing his ramblings. Every word he said had been true, and it felt kind of nice to get it all off his chest. But now, he didn't know where to go. What else do you say?

A laugh from James interrupted his musings. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing. I was just thinking that everything you just said was exactly how I felt about my wife before I proposed. Not that I'm suggesting anything, but its just interesting."

"Now that you say it, James, that's how I felt about Sadie too. Funny."

"You aren't serious; I mean, you can't be, right?" The smiles on their faces made it more than obvious that they were, in fact, serious. Shaking his head, another question came to Tommy. Lately he had been especially curious about the idea of marriage. He still didn't understand what the point was, and hopefully, these men would help it all to make sense. "Can I ask you something?" At Kwest and James' nods, he asked what he was desperate to know. "Why marriage?"

Kwest looked at him like he was crazy, but answered anyways. "I think that its about finding your soul mate. I know that I want Sadie next to me every moment of my future. She is amazing—not just because of who she is but because of who she makes me."

"But why get married? Why do you want to make it some legally binding thing?" Kwest had done nothing to answer Tommy's questions.

"Let me finish, Tom." Smiling and shaking his head, Kwest continued anyway. "Its more than that. Part of it is a security thing, I think. I want the world to know that Sadie is mine. No other man is allowed to look at her like that because she is mine now. I also think that its such a symbol of commitment. By saying our vows tomorrow, I know that Sadie is serious about committing her life to me—and I'm going to commit my life to her. Everything I do is because I want to make sure she is happy and taken care of. Does that make any sense?"

Before Tom could answer, James jumped in with his agreement. "Yeah! I totally think part of it is that whole possessive thing. But it is such a symbol too. I love that I am so devoted to my girl that I am her husband. I have literally given myself to her for the rest of our lives. I guess that some people don't look at marriage like its such a big deal, but to me it is. I definitely look at it as a lifelong commitment. The legal side of it just makes it official."

Tommy couldn't say anything, because there were no words. He was deep in thought, the words of his friends weighing heavy on his mind. Everything they said rang true. Barely acknowledging the other two men in his place, Tommy began to walk up the stairs to his room. As an afterthought, he called over his shoulder, "I'm off to bed, guys. The spare rooms are made up with fresh sheets and extra blankets and towels are in the hall closet. Holler if you need anything." Finally reaching his room, Tommy got ready for bed on autopilot. He was still processing their words, unable to find any sort of resolution.

Kwest and James had put into words everything he felt about Jude. Even the things they had said about wanting others to know that their girls were taken was right on. As much as he didn't like to admit it, Tommy felt that way about Jude sometimes. When they were on tour and random guys would come up and talk to her, he always felt the need to go after her and knock those other guys out. There were even times when Jude would hang out with the guys of SME that Tommy would want to lay his claim on her, making sure they realized that she was the best and it was his job to take care of her.

What Kwest had said about making Sadie happy was true for Tommy as well. He loved making Jude smile just as much as he loved the fact that she could make him smile. He wanted to take care of her and make sure she had the best—she deserved it. She deserved everything.

As he continued to work his way through the muddled thoughts, the only thing that he was unsure of was the commitment issue. While he didn't feel the need to have an official commitment from Jude, he was convinced that she would always be there for him. But he would always be there for her too. The more he thought about it, he was truly happy when he knew that she was happy. And if he could make sure that she would always be filled with joy, he would consider his life worth something.

But when it came down to it, did these thoughts mean that he loved Jude...as more than his best friend? The more he contemplated, the more Tommy thought that his feeling for Jude were more than just friendly. And, if he was being honest, he had been more and more attracted to her lately. He noticed each and every small movement she made, the way her eyes brightened when she was excited, the way she would chew on the end of her pencil when she was concentrating, and the way she would bite her bottom lip when she was shy; he knew that her eyes could tell him everything she was feeling. She was so beautiful—breathtakingly stunning—and she didn't even know it.

Knowing that the confusion had set in full force and wouldn't be leaving any time soon, Tommy tried to get some sleep. After a while, he drifted into a restless and dream-filled sleep with thoughts of his girl.

…

A soft hand caressed his cheek and Tommy opened his eyes. Turning to face the blond beauty in front of him, he smiled, copying her actions and bringing his hand to her face. Taking in her scent, his smile grew. Glancing at her full lips, he suddenly felt a severe need to kiss them and taste her. Doing just that, he groaned in satisfaction—the feeling was perfect, she tasted perfect. Needing to feel more of her, Tommy removed his hand from her face, and moved it to her slightly rounded ass. It was covered by a skimpy string bikini, just loose enough for him to move his hand underneath, feeling the soft, pale skin.

He could feel her shiver underneath his touch, loving that his actions did that to her. His other hand joined the one already on her ass, and they massaged her slightly. Hearing her moan of pleasure only increased his need to feel more of her. Just as he moved his hand up her back, aiming to untie the top of her string bikini, a noise stopped his actions. Reluctantly removing his lips from hers, Tommy looked in the direction he thought the noise came from, and was startled to see people walking about. Looking around him and the beautiful girl, he realized they were in a cabana on a tropical beach. Unfurling the sides of the cabana, he tied the front opening closed to give them complete privacy. Finally blocked from the rest of the world, he laid back down and pulled Jude on top of him again, reattaching their lips. Immediately going for the stings on her bathing suit top, Tommy made quick work of undoing them and pulled it off. Rolling them over, he hovered above her, taking in her perfectly shaped breasts, not too big, but just the right size to grab.

Deciding he needed to do just that, he reached out one hand a firmly grasped her right breast, hardly able to stand how good it felt. Rolling her nipple between his thumb and pointer finger, he continued to watch her as pleasure began to course through her. The way she bit her lip made it all the more enticing, and the rocking of her hips against only encouraged his actions. The way Jude's pelvis was rubbing his erection was incredible, but soon, the friction was not enough. Pulling his hand away from her breast, he moved it in between them, attempting to pull of the bottoms of her bikini. Because of how their legs were entwined, he was having trouble removing them quickly and grunted in frustration. Feeling a hand stop his movements, he looked into her eyes, dark with passion and barely contained lust. "Let me," her husky voice told him.

Perfectly content to let her remove her suit, Tommy working on getting his own bottoms off. "Eager, are we?" The smirk on her face made it obvious she was joking. But soon, the smirk turned to a serious gaze. At the same moment, the two launched at each other, capturing each others lips in a ferocious duel. Still on their knees, Tommy pulled her closer and then gently laid her down on the cushions of the private sanctuary. The way his manhood nestled near her center was pure torture, and his desire for her was close to spiraling out of control.

Needing to be closer to her...needing to feel her wrapped around him, he pulled back and thrust into her. If the perfect way they fit together wasn't enough, the small scream she elicited nearly made him cum right there. Holding himself back in a desire to bring her pleasure, Tommy thrust into her again and again—slowly at first, but quickly picking up speed. She met him thrust for thrust, and he could tell she was getting closer. Shifting his hips slightly as he pistoned into her, his goal was to reach her special spot. The little moans coming from her mouth spurred him on. The louder her noises became, the more desperate he was for them to come together; he was literally throbbing, so much that it was almost painful. Giving one final thrust, they both came with a scream, calling out the other's name with eyes clenched. Tommy immediately collapsed on top of her, rolling to the side so he didn't crush her beneath him.

Twenty minutes later, they had mostly recovered, their breathing becoming a bit more normal. He looked at his beautiful Jude and smiled. This was perfect, laying here with her, post coital bliss intoxicating for them both. Her slightly hoarse voice broke through his thoughts, "I love you, husband." The sleepy smile that graced her face was pure perfection—he couldn't believe that he got to wake up next to her every day for the rest of their lives. He was so lucky that he got to hold her as they fell asleep every night to come. He was thrilled that he got to make love to her forever. "I love you too, wife. Forever and always."

Tommy stretched out his arm to pull his girl closer, but he was met with empty sheets. Where was she? Opening his eyes, he looked around and was startled to see that he was in his own room...alone...and with a rock hard erection making it nearly impossible to move. After a few minutes of unsuccessfully trying to make his problem subside, he reluctantly got out of bed and made his way to the bathroom.

Having made his soldier "stand down," Tommy crawled back into bed and tried to get back to sleep—hopefully a rest less full of dreams than before. Nearly two hours later, he was still tossing and turning, unable to find any sleep. Thoughts of how right it felt to have Jude in his arms filled his mind. He didn't care that it was a dream—it had felt so real and so right. After all of the marriage talk tonight, Tommy couldn't shake the feeling that maybe there was more to his relationship with Jude than just friendship. It would make sense of all the feelings he had been experiencing lately. Maybe once this wedding was over they should talk about it.

He got up and threw on some sweatpants, heading downstairs in hopes that some hot tea would calm his mind. It was something Jude had taught him over the past few weeks, and hopefully it would work tonight as well. Before he could make his way to the kitchen, something caught his eye. The ring that he had bought for Jude glinted in the moonlight, and Tommy changed his direction so that he could pick it up. As he held the jewelry in his hand, he thought about how Jude would feel receiving it from him. Would she expect marriage? Would she ever take it off? Would he be okay if she ever took it off?

Knowing the answer was a resounding "no," Tommy thought about what that meant. If he never wanted her to take it off, what did that mean? Sighing, he closed the little box and decided to put it back where it belonged—in his safe. Walking into his combination office/studio, thoughts were still swirling in his mind. He thought about how much he had panicked when he thought she was pulling away, both in Europe while they were on tour and earlier this week. He was literally terrified at the thought of not having her around. The idea that they might not work closely or be together as often made his heart clench and his throat dry up.

As those thoughts continued to race through his mind, inspiration in the form of lyrics struck. Picking up the closest guitar, Tommy was about to play when he thought better of it. He closed the door to the office and went into the studio portion of the room, grabbing his journal and a pencil along the way. Sitting on the floor, he began to strum some random chords until something sounded right. Once the first right note was struck, however, there was no going back. Hours later, a song was made. Looking over what he had created, Tommy played it through once more, knowing that it was perfect.

_There is no combination of words I could put on the postcard  
And no song that I could sing, but I can try because this is your heart and this is  
Our dreams and they are made out of real things  
Like a shoebox of photographs with sepia-toned loving  
Love is the answer at least for most of the questions in my heart, like  
Why are we here? And where do we go? And how come it's so hard?  
It's not always easy and sometimes life can be deceiving  
I'll tell you one thing, it's so much better when we're together_

Mmm, so much better when we're together  
Yeh, we'll look at the stars when we're together  
Well it's so much better when we're together  
Yeh, it's so much better when we're together

All of these moments just might find their way into my dreams tonight  
But I know that they'll be gone when the morning light sings  
Or brings new things for tomorrow night you see  
They'll be gone too, to many things I have to do  
But follow these dreams might find their way into my day to day scene  
I'd be under the impression, I was somewhere in between  
With only two, just me and you, not so many things we got to do  
Or places we got to be, we'll sit beneath the mango tree now

Yeh, so much better when we're together  
Mmm, we're somewhere in between together  
Well, it's so much better when we're together  
Yeh, so much better when we're together

I believe in memories because they look so,  
So pretty when I sleep  
And when I wake up you look so pretty sleeping next to me  
But there is not enough time  
And there is no, no song I could sing  
And there is no combination of words I could say  
But I will still tell you one thing  
We're better together  
We so much better when we're together  
We so much better when we're together

He wondered if he should show Jude, not sure how she would react. After fully realizing what the song he had just written was about, he knew that something would have to change with his favorite girl and best friend. But would she feel the same? Should they explore something more? What about their friendship? Pushing those thoughts aside, Tommy got up and put away his materials. It was now 5:00 in the morning. The guys had to be up at 9:30am to get ready, and, if he had any hope of staying up for the entirety of the day, he needed to get to sleep. Climbing back into the cocoon of his bed, Tommy finally drifted off, thoughts of Jude bringing a smile to his face even in his sleep.

The song Jude wrote for Tommy and sings for Sadie is _Realize_, by Colbie Caillat.

The song Tommy writes for Jude is _Better Together_, by Jack Johnson.


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

The pounding on the door echoed the pounding in her head. Not moving a muscle, Jude hoped that the noise would stop on its own, but she had no such luck. After five minutes and a yell from Sadie to "open the damn door!," Jude reluctantly stood and opened the front door. Without so much as a hello Portia walked in with a team of five stylists who had been hired to make Sadie—and everyone else who would be in the pictures—look incredible. Waiting until the last person entered, Jude then slammed the door shut and went back to her make-shift bed on the couch.

Rolling her head side to side, she tried to work out the kinks that had developed during the night. Oh how she had missed Tommy's bed last night. Not only was his company much preferred, but his bed was the most comfortable thing she had ever slept on.

The hair and makeup professionals had gone upstairs with Portia to get started on Sadie's look. Jude didn't know how, but Portia had estimated that they would be there until 3:00—nearly five hours! How the hell does it take that long to look "wedding appropriate"? Jude could feel a headache begin to develop from a lack of caffeine; what she wouldn't give for a large black coffee from the cafe a couple blocks away. Since Sadie was pregnant, she had purged all unhealthy things from the kitchen and pantry. Jude wouldn't have cared because she was never there, but in this moment, she was completely irritated.

If anyone expected her to be nice and smile for the pictures—let alone be awake enough to stand on her own—they better get her some coffee. Another knock on the door interrupted her thoughts of the impending need for caffeine, and Jude hefted herself off of the couch once again. _At least this person wasn't pounding on the door like some barbarian_, she thought.

Throwing the door open, she was going to tell the person to head upstairs with the rest of the crew, but the vision in front of her was so perfect she wasn't sure it was real.

"Coffee, Babes?" In one outstretched arm was a large coffee from her favorite cafe, the other arm was at his side holding a bag of what she hoped was doughnuts.

Greedily she accepted the coffee and took a big gulp, completely ignoring the burning sensation that enveloped her mouth. Closing her eyes in pure delight, she savored the moment. A chuckle from her coffee hero brought Jude back to the present. "You are incredible." Another sip, "Seriously, you're amazing." Motioning him into the house with a nod of her head, she finished by saying, "Thank you."

"No problem, hon. I thought you could use it."

"You thought right. This is exactly what I needed." Sitting down on the blankets she had been under before, Jude patted the spot next to her, expecting him to sit close, like usual. When he sat on the sofa across from her, she was slightly shocked. "What are you doing?"

Shifting uncomfortably, he shrugged, "I'm sitting down."

"No, genius, why are you sitting over there?" Patting the spot next to her more forcefully, she continued, "Sit by me. If you don't sit closer, it means I can't have some of the doughnuts you brought." Smiling widely and batting her eyelashes, Jude tried to entice Tommy closer. When he didn't move and only looked away, she didn't know how to react. Something must be wrong, and she knew it was her job to find out. Getting up, Jude moved over to the couch Tommy currently occupied. "What's going on?"

He looked away and shrugged. "I'm just tired."

"Liar. Tell me what's wrong." Jude knew that it was more than simply being tired, but she couldn't help fix it if she didn't know what the problem was.

"Fine. I just am a bit thrown off by the wedding. I had a…weird conversation last night that didn't make sense." He paused for a moment, eyes closed, and took a deep breath. After what seemed like forever to Jude, he finally spoke again, "But, none of that matters. What matters is that I'm here with you. Now, tell me about your night."

Jude shifted her position so that she was closer to him and felt his arm go around her shoulders. She loved this feeling—being close to him and being held by him. "Honestly, it wasn't that exciting. We talked for a bit and then Sadie went to bed. She had to get her beauty rest, you know?"

His laughter vibrated his chest, and Jude reveled in the sensation. After the chuckling stopped, he wrapped another arm around her, holding her close. "What about you though? Did you sleep well?"

The way he asked made Jude feel like he was truly concerned. Smiling, she snuggled closer. "Other than the giant kink in my neck this morning, I slept okay. But let me tell you, this couch isn't near as comfy as your bed." She didn't know how, but she could literally feel him smile. Her next comment was a bit more quiet. She knew she might regret saying so, but she couldn't seem to help it. "I don't think I slept as well because I was lonely."

"Really?" She knew his remark was accompanied by wiggling eyebrows and a giant smirk.

"Oh, stop gloating you perv!" She slapped him on the chest to make her point. "But, being totally honest, I did miss you. I missed our routine." She felt him squeeze her a bit more tightly, and sighed in contentedness. The sound of his voice soothed her and brought another smile to her face.

"I missed you too, sweetheart. I felt lonely last night."

They stayed like that another moment before continuing their conversation. Tommy told her a little about the honeymoon that Kwest had planned. They talked about places they wanted to visit—she really wanted to go somewhere tropical, really get away and relax. Tommy agreed, thinking somewhere like Aruba or Sr. Lucia might be nice. Jude thought that would be perfect, an amazing chance to escape the hustle and bustle of normal life and just **be**. More, the thought of being in such a beautiful place with Tommy all to herself would be perfect. Quickly, she pushed the thought aside and focused on just being with him now. Regardless of what her future held, she wanted to embrace every moment they shared, she could worry about the effects it might have on her heart later.

…

Pacing back and forth in the small room at the back of the massive and ornate church, Tommy was getting restless. He had gone to visit Jude this morning, bringing the promised coffee, but after his dream last night, he wasn't normal around her. Eventually, he had snapped out of it and they had gone back to their usual interactions. Even though it had only been for a couple of hours, he had honestly enjoyed every moment with her. The mere thought of her brought a smile to his face. The anticipation of seeing her later made that smile get even bigger.

His happy thoughts were interrupted when the door to the small room opened and Stuart Harrison walked in. He shook hands with his soon-to-be son-in-law, and looked around the room. He nodded to James and then walked over to Tommy. Shaking hands with the older man, Tommy asked, "So, how are you doing? Your girls are growing up."

Tommy could see the hint of sadness in the father's eyes. He tried to imagine what it would be like to have a daughter who was getting married, trying to empathize with Stuart. The more he thought about it, the more Tommy realized that he would be okay with it, as long as he had someone by his side—someone like Jude who would know just when to make him laugh and when to hold his hand, when to distract him, and when hold him close. It had to be hard for Stuart not having someone like that with him.

Stuart finally responded to Tommy's words, "Yeah, my babies aren't such babies anymore."

The four men made small talk until the big event was supposed to start. A knock on the door signaled that it was time to begin, and the group headed towards the door. Stuart held the door open, but after James had exited, he stopped Kwest. "Kwest, I know that you make Sadie happy. Promise me that you'll take care of her." The look in his eyes was so intense, so sincere; Tommy could tell how much he loved his girls. Kwest nodded, grasping Stuart in a tight 'man-hug'. The two men separated, Kwest walked toward the door to the church, while the girls' father held his post at the door.

Tommy smiled at Stuart and began to walk through the door, but was stopped by a hand on his chest. Taking a step back, he looked at Stuart, trying to figure out what he wanted. He knew that the older man hadn't always liked him. He was told numerous times that he was a bad influence on the younger of the Harrison girls. At one point, Stuart had forbidden Tommy to spend time with Jude. Of course, when he found out that Jude was sneaking out of the house to help him record, Stuart had realized that their friendship was inevitable. The memory almost made Tommy laugh. Thankfully, Stuart and Tommy had been on speaking terms the past couple of years, even grabbing dinner or coffee when Stuart had been in New York on business. The older man had the same serious expression he had earlier, eyes sincere and almost pleading. Tommy was truly curious, and so, when Stuart still hadn't said anything, he asked, "Stuart, what's up?"

Taking Tommy's hand, Stuart answered, "Tom, I know you and I haven't always seen eye to eye." At Tommy's shrug, the father continued, "Promise me you'll take care of Jude." He must have been able to sense Tommy's protest, because he held up a hand and spoke again. "Tom, we both know how close you and Jude are. And I've come to see that you aren't quite the person I thought you were." Stuart paused again, obviously thinking of his younger daughter. "But, Jude was right. You are a pretty good guy, and I can see how much you care for my daughter. Now that you're back in Toronto and I won't be, I need to know that she'll be okay. She has always been stubborn and independent, but she needs someone looking out for her. She needs someone to take care of her and make sure she's happy. And even if you don't know it, I know that you make her the happiest. Promise me you'll be there for her?"

Tommy could only nod in agreement. He wasn't sure how to react to what Stuart had said. He knew it was all true, at least, everything until the last part. Words still would not come to him, so he too pulled Stuart into a tight embrace, much like Kwest had done. It wasn't even a question whether or not he would be there for Jude and take care of her, but he finally found some words and reassured her father, "Of course, Stuart. You know I'm always here for Jude."

The two men separated and went different directions: Tommy to the front of the church, Stuart to the back to greet his daughters. From there, the wedding went just as planned. Sadie was a beautiful bride, and it was obvious to anyone with eyes that she and Kwest were in love.

There was only one moment that caused Tommy to choke up, but surprisingly, it wasn't from watching Kwest and Sadie. He had seen a few stray tears roll down Jude's face, and his heart clenched in his chest. For that brief moment, he couldn't breathe; he had wanted nothing more than to sweep her into his arms and hold her. It wouldn't have been so bad if her eyes had only shown excitement, but it was the hint of sadness that had broken his heart.

Eventually, it had come time for the vows, and Tommy had been struck. "...to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do us part." In all of his years working in music, Tommy had never heard such powerful words. Amazingly enough, it was the first wedding he had been to where the bride and groom had stuck to the simple and time-honored words. He had been blown away by the magnitude of what those words promised. Would anyone ever commit to him like that? Would anyone ever promise to be with him no matter what, through everything life threw at them?

Any sense of his surroundings left as Tommy contemplated if there was such a woman that would promise those things. He didn't know if he could even let someone get that close to him, or promise that to someone else. The only woman he had ever let in like that was Jude. She didn't care where he came from or what he went through, she was there.

The thoughts of Jude made him recall the night before. As he looked at her standing beside her sister in that incredible dress, he thought how perfect she was. As much as she was stubborn and emotional, she was passionate. She was beautiful whether she had just woken up or had been styled and primped for hours like today. The way she lived her music was inspiring—always striving for complete perfection. She always knew how to have a good time and laugh, but knew when to be serious. When it came to taking care of him, she was the best. She had this innate sense of what he needed at any given moment, and he knew that she would do anything for him.

Maybe there was more to his relationship with Jude than friendship. Maybe Kwest was right and he actually cared for her...possibly even loved her. The consideration that he might love his best friend startled him so completely that he nearly fell over. Stepping slightly to regain his balance, he was brought back to the present. Hearing the cheers echoing in the large and ornate church, Tommy looked to the newly married couple kissing for the first time as husband and wife. He wanted that—a partner, a lover, a best friend.

Before he could process those thoughts more, the wedding was over and he was walking out of the church next to Jude. They went through what seemed like hours of pictures in thousands of combinations, and then the group was off to the reception. In the limo, Tommy made sure to sit next to his favorite girl, just wanting to be close to her. Even after all of the confusing thoughts that had been bogging him down, he still missed his best friend. He was perfectly content sitting there with Jude tucked close to him. In that moment Tommy was happy.

Finally arriving at the monstrous reception hall, the group got out of the limo and went to the back door. Sadie had wanted everyone to make a grand entrance and, though Tommy would never do anything like that for his own wedding, it was her day. After their "big reveal," the six sat down at the head table and dinner was served. Partway through the feast, Jude stood up and walked toward the stage, and Tommy was immediately struck by how he missed her presence. Shaking that off, he watched her step out from behind the curtain on the stage.

"Hi there, everyone. Thank you so much for being a part of today and sharing in celebrating Kwest and Sadie's wedding. A few weeks ago, Sadie came to me and asked me to sing something for their first dance. Well, I know this probably isn't what she was expecting—its not exactly a sappy ballad—but I think it is perfect for them. Love isn't always pretty and easy, but between Kwest and Sadie, its real, and that's all that matters. I'm so blessed by you guys, and I love you both so much. Congratulations."

The smile on her face was radiant, and Tommy couldn't stop looking at her. The moment she opened her mouth and began to sing, he was hooked. Though he had seen and heard the song before, this time it was different—there was a different energy in the room. By this time, Kwest and Sadie had gotten up and were dancing together. But, not taking his eyes off of Jude for even a second, Tommy was oblivious. The words of the song captured his heart as he felt their honesty grab hold of him.

_Sometimes I feel like throwing my hands up in the air  
I know I can count on you  
Sometimes I feel like saying "Lord I just don't care"  
But you've got the love I need To see me through_

Sometimes it seems that the going is just too rough  
And things go wrong no matter what I do  
Now and then it seems that life is just too much  
But you've got the love I need to see me through

When food is gone you are my daily meal  
When friends are gone I know my savior's love is real  
You Know it's real

You got the love  
You got the love  
You got the love  
You got the love  
You got the love  
You got the love

_Time after time I think "Oh Lord what's the use?"  
Time after time I think it's just no good  
Sooner or later in life, the things you love you lose  
But you got the love I need to see me through_

You got the love  
You got the love  
You got the love  
You got the love  
You got the love  
You got the love

You got the love  
You got the love  
You got the love  
You got the love  
You got the love  
You got the love

Sometimes I feel like throwing my hands up in the air  
I know I can count on you  
Sometimes I feel like saying "Lord I just don't care"  
But you've got the love I need to see me through

Jude finished singing, eyes closed, hand on her heart, and Tommy was stunned. He realized that Jude was that person for him. Jude was the one who helped see him through every difficult situation in his life. She was the one who kept him going. She was the one that helped his life make sense. The thoughts tumbled awkwardly through his brain at warp speed, but no matter how many different ways he looked at it, the conclusion was the same. He loved Jude.

…

As she finished singing, Jude opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was a stunning set of deep blue eyes, filled with confusion and passion. She couldn't look away, so instead she closed her eyes. The depth of emotion she had seen in Tommy's eyes had startled her. The whole day had been filled with thoughts of love and marriage. And though it wasn't surprising considering that her sister was getting married, Jude didn't want those thoughts to get the best of her. Over the past few weeks, she had resigned herself to loving Tommy. She would try to get over him, but those feelings didn't go away on command.

After his coffee visit this morning, Tommy hadn't left her thoughts for a moment. Even when she was standing with Sadie at the alter, thoughts of him filled her mind. She thought of how it would be a dream come true to stand there with him. She thought of how suave he looked in his tux, but she much preferred to see him slightly more casual. Even the song she wrote was about him, not Kwest and Sadie. Sure, it fit the newlyweds too;but it had been inspired by and written for him. She had been singing for him.

She stepped behind the curtain and then got down off the stage, retrieving a bottle of water. Drinking half of it in one gulp, Jude felt composed enough to face the nearly 300 guests, and stable enough to face the man she loved. However, walking toward the dance floor, she was startled to see Tommy holding a beautiful woman in his arms, gliding across the expanse. Her heart sunk, and tears sprang to her eyes. She walked to her chair, taking deep breaths along the way, trying to calm herself down.

When she sat down, her eyes closed. Almost more frustrating than seeing Tommy and the woman dancing was knowing that the woman was wonderful. She was Kwest's cousin, and probably one of the nicest women Jude had ever met. She was a model, but so down to earth that she could make anyone feel comfortable. Jude knew that the beautiful woman was married to one of Tommy's old coworkers, but it did nothing to ease a smidge of the jealousy she felt.

Not a second later, a hand on her shoulder interrupted her thoughts. Opening her eyes, she was met with Spied's ginning face and outstretched hand. "Let's dance, Lady Harrison."

Reluctantly, Jude stood and followed him to the dance floor. As he held her close and they swayed and spun, Jude heaved a large sigh.

"Dude, I wouldn't worry about Squinty dancing with that fine woman."

It was just like Spied to know exactly what she was thinking. "I'm not."

"Seriously, Dude, I'm not an idiot. I saw your face when you were walking back and found them dancing—it wasn't pretty."

Smacking him on the arm at his insensitive comment, Jude let a small laugh escape. She knew that his intent wasn't to be mean, but it certainly hadn't made her feel good. "Honestly, Spied, I'm not worried about it." After pausing to think about the emotions she had felt, Jude continued, "Its more that...Well...I once again realized that I'm not the one he'll ask to dance and I'm not the one he wants to be with."

"Don't take this the wrong way, Jude, but you shouldn't give up on him yet."

Spied had always been pretty insightful, but at his comment, Jude was confused. "What do you mean?"

"I think something changed tonight. You know how closed off he usually is, right?" At her nod, he finished his thought, "Tonight he had this look in his eye when you were singing. And even when you finished, it was obvious that you were the only thing on his mind. But more than that, he had this determined look on his face. When that girl came up and told him to dance with her, he was stunned. It was like he was in this daze and she was not what he had wanted."

Soaking up his words, something still bothered her. "If that's true, why doesn't he do something about it?"

"Because he's a good guy. He may have been an ass years ago, but you know that changed when you came into his life. Talk to him." Looking up, her eyes connected with Spied. Her uncertainty was obvious to him, so he simply said, "Talk to him."

She nodded her agreement as the song came to and end. The friends separated, and Jude told him, "Thanks, Dude. You're a good friend."

"I know." Spied said it in such a cocky way that Jude wanted to smack him. But, after his thoughtful comments, she felt like she shouldn't.

Instead, she rolled her eyes and told him, "I'll talk to him, but first I need a drink." She could hear Spied chuckle as she walked away, the noise bringing a smile to her face. Reaching the bar, Jude pulled out a stool and sat. It was a serious relief to not be on her feet—the shoes she was wearing were killing her. They looked sexy as hell, but they were also painful as hell. Ordering a vodka on the rocks from the surprised bar tender, she closed her eyes and thought about what to say to Tommy. As much as she knew that Spied was right, she didn't want to ruin their friendship—she loved him too much for that.

A drink was placed in front of her and Jude guzzled half of it before placing the drink back on the counter. It took only a few minutes before the rest of the drink was finished off. She had ignored everything around her, being so lost in thought. Though her eyes were focused on the bride and groom to her left, she didn't even realize when the man who occupied her thoughts sat to her right and ordered a drink of his own.

…

A vodka on the rocks was in his hand not even a minute after sitting down at the bar. After Jude had finished singing, he knew that he had to talk to her at some point tonight. He hadn't been sure what he was going to say, but he needed to be close to her. As soon as she had put the mic back on the stand, Tommy's nerves kicked in. As much as he wanted to go over to her and grab her and kiss her, he couldn't move a muscle. He kept trying to stand, but nerves had taken over.

The feeling of someone's arms wrapping around him was startling. Almost expecting to see Jude, he quickly turned. The disappointment was clear in his eyes when his girl wasn't there. Instead, Kwest's cousin, Alana, had been standing there. Giving her a brief hug, Tommy said hello, even though he barely looked at her rather trying to focus on the stage area where Jude was bound to be. Alana hadn't picked up on the fact that he didn't really want to talk to her, and pulled him to the dance floor.

The moment they had started swaying, he felt like he was cheating on Jude. That wasn't even a possibilty, especially considering that Alana was married to one of his coworkers from New York and her position as Kwest's cousin. Regardless of the fact that Jude and Tommy weren't an item, he felt tied to her...connected to her. He now realized those feelings as love. He still couldn't get over the idea that he loved her—it was such a foreign concept.

During the dancing, Tommy had spun Alana out and caught a glimpse of his girl dancing with the cooky guitarist, Spied. Instantly, he had been filled with a sense of jealousy—another foreign concept to him. He knew that Jude didn't feel anything for Spied, but he also knew that the guitarist had some deeper feelings for her. The smile she had given her dance partner had made his gut ache, the jealousy growing.

Finally, the song had ended, and Tom knew that his first order of business was finding his girl. Well, getting a drink to calm down and then finding his girl. After getting caught by some coworkers and friends on his way to the bar, Tommy had finally reached his destination. He sat and ordered his standard vodka on the rocks, sighing his frustration. His gaze was focused on the many people to his right, not realizing that the beautiful girl that currently inhabited his thoughts was just to his left.

Only moments later, he finished off his drink and asked for another, his hand bumping into that of the person to his left. Looking over to apologize, he was startled to see the bright blue eyes of his favorite person—his Jude. "Babes, what are you doing here?" He saw her reluctance to answer, and nudged her, encouraging her to be honest. "Hon?"

Looking over at him and rolling her eyes, she waved her hand in the direction of her sister and his friend, "Escaping the wedding madness. I couldn't take too much more gushing from Sadie."

"I don't blame you. It seems like she hasn't stopped giggling all night." Tommy understood Jude's slight annoyance with her sister. Sadie had been smiling like a crazy woman the whole day, especially since they had arrived at the reception hall. But, he also knew that there was more to it than that. Her stubbornness would keep her from telling him right away, he just had to get a few more drinks in her.

Toasting her, they both threw back their drinks, finishing them off quickly. Round three started with the clinking of glasses, and Tommy almost laughed when he saw Jude's hand shake a bit. After only two drinks, she was starting to feel the effects of the alcohol. They talked about their day apart, Jude shared the craziness that came with a hair and makeup crew, Tommy told her about playing video games before going to the church.

Thirty minutes later and another drink gone for each of them, Tommy and Jude were definitely feeling the effects of their liquid reassurance. They had been chatting nonstop—not about anything particularly important, but about the little things that had happened that day.

As she was about to take the first sip from her fourth cocktail, Jude turned to him. The look in her eyes was particularly serious, and Tommy was a little surprised at the sudden change in mood. After a moment, she said, "I didn't like seeing you and Alana dance." She took a drink and continued before he got a chance to interrupt. "I was jealous and sad—I don't like seeing you with other women...especially when you look so yummy."

Her words shocked him. _Yummy_? With wide eyes he tried to decipher whether or not this was the alcohol talking through her or just her being honest. Or maybe it was the alcohol making her honest. Nonetheless, he felt the need to confess his own jealousy when she danced with Spied. "I think I was jealous too."

She seemed surprised at his confession, and then asked, "You think or you know?"

"I've never really been jealous, but I think that was what it felt like. I don't like being jealous of that punk-ass kid." His comment was mostly true. Really, he just didn't like being jealous—it made him feel somewhat helpless and out of control. "I didn't really want to dance with Alana, you know." He wasn't sure why, but he needed to make sure that she knew that.

"I know. And even if you did, it's not like there was something between you guys—she's not a cheater."

The smirk on her face and the sparkle in her eyes told him that she was joking. She knew he wasn't a cheater either, at least not anymore. "Yeah, yeah. But seriously, I was going to come find you." Apparently he was going to be honest and tell her what had been on his mind lately, at least part of it.

"How come? What's up?"

She looked surprisingly curious and alert, despite the alcohol she had consumed up to this point. Tommy wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing, but decided to forge ahead anyway. "I've been thinking a lot lately."

"Wow, aren't you talented."

Jude's teasing eased his nerves slightly, but he brushed her comment off and continued. "This wedding has made me re-evaluate a lot of things and Kwest and James said some things the other night that...confused me. I just..." he paused, unsure of how to proceed. He couldn't just tell her that he loved her and they should be together forever, but he couldn't not say _something_. Her hand on his arm and a look of compassion calmed him slightly. Taking a deep breath, Tommy looked into the eyes of his best friend and was surprised to see something more than compassion and friendship. Could it be love? The way he felt looking into her eyes was the way he wanted to make her feel. Loved. Taken care of. Beautiful. Perfect.

He closed his eyes, gathering his thoughts. "You look so beautiful tonight, Babes. So beautiful. You are so perfect and your song was perfect—I loved it. When you came down the aisle I could barely breathe and when I saw you crying I wanted to take you away because you were sad. I want to be the one you dance with and the one who saves you. I promised your dad I would take care of you, but he didn't have to ask because I would always take care of you." His rambling stopped for a moment as he gathered a breath.

"Dad asked you to take care of me?"

Of all the things he just said, that was the one she commented on? Nerves began to creep up, but Tommy answered anyway. "Yeah." He was about to ask her for a reaction to the rest of his words, but she interrupted him before he could do so.

"He told me he got another transfer. He's moving farther away. Did you mean all of those things?" She asked so nonchalantly that he almost didn't answer her question.

After a second, he processed what she had asked and immediately responded with a resounding "Yes!" He took the drink in her hand and set it on the bar. Then, he grabbed both of her hands and looked at her intently, "I will always take care of you. I lo..." Before saying those monumental words, Tommy stopped himself. He shouldn't say them here, he should wait. Instead, he told her, "I love being around you. Just being next to you makes me smile." The smile that adorned her face at that comment made his whole life worth while. Lost in her eyes, he was struck by how serious their moment had gotten. Wanting to lighten the mood slightly, he pulled her towards him, making her stand up. His hands found their way to her hips, pulling her even closer, and whispered in her ear, " And you look seriously mind-blowing tonight. Those shoes make me want to do things to you and I just want to rip that dress right off of you."

His comment had been meant to make her blush, but when the hint of a moan escaped her mouth, he felt himself grow rigid. Granted, he had been slightly affected since seeing her at the church—he couldn't help it, she was the best looking woman he had ever seen. She didn't even know how sexy she was—understated and glamorous all at the same time. And those shoes...they were oozing sex. He had been fantasizing what she would look like wearing only those shoes and a pair of black lace panties. Eyes glazed over as the picture invaded his mind, but the movement of her shifting slightly and rubbing against his hard length quickly snapped him out of his reverie.

"What's stopping you?"

Her question was spoken in a hushed and husky voice that made his erection stand even taller. "What?" he squeaked. Was she serious? Was it the drinks? Was this real?

She leaned back so she could look into his eyes. "Babes, you look good enough to eat, and I want to taste. I was so jealous of you and Alana earlier, it made me ache for you. If you want, we can say it was because of the drinks, but know that this is me wanting you." She leaned into him and put her mouth near his ear. Her warm breath was hitting his ear, nearly making him shiver in want. "So I ask again. What's. Stopping. You?" Each of those three words were followed by a kiss on his ear, and that was all it took for him to grab her by the waist.

Before he completely left the building with her in tow, Tommy had enough sanity to take a good look at her, making sure she was being honest. He was surprised to see a sureness and determination in her blue orbs. The way her eyes had changed to a dark midnight blue and were sparkling was evidence of her excitement. The lust was becoming more and more apparent, obvious by the increasing darkness in her eyes.

Feeling certain that she wanted this at least as much as he did, Tommy held firmly onto her waist and led her to the doors. Once outside and waiting for the valet to arrive with his car, he pulled Jude close and was again struck by her beauty. This was something so crazy for them, but she looked perfectly content wrapped in his arms. He echoed that sense of contentment and moved her so she was facing him. He was literally taken over by the desire to kiss her, his mouth moving towards hers almost involuntarily.

The moment her lips touched his, every thought was lost. The only thing he could focus on was how her lips felt and tasted. They were like nectar—sweet and fulfilling. All he wanted was to taste more of her. The way her body molded to his was like heaven. Why hadn't he realized how perfect it would be to take this step with her?

The clearing of a throat invaded his thoughts and actions, and he grabbed the keys from the valet attendant who was holding them out. He ushered his girl into her place in the passenger seat and ran to the other side, nearly jumping into the car. Though his place was halfway across Toronto, it only took ten minutes until the couple was in the garage and parking his car.

The whole ride, Jude had been shifting in her seat, crossing her legs back and forth, giving further evidence to her arousal. Those actions had made him even harder, and he had pressed down on the accelerator. He let out a burst of laughter when she had exclaimed, "Finally!" under her breath upon the arrival in the parking garage at his complex. Her dress had ridden up slightly when she exited the car, causing him to stare for a moment. When she realized what he was doing, she smacked his chest, but followed by massaging the place she hit. He couldn't help but sigh in pleasure at the feeling of her hands on him. 

He grabbed her arm and removed it from her chest, drawing her arms around his neck and kissing her soundly. At her attempt to deepen the kiss, he stopped their actions. "Babes, I don't care how completely sexy you are, we aren't doing this in my garage. Come on." He took her hand and led her to the direct elevator leading to his place.

She would never know how hard it was for him to stop, but it was true. She deserved much more than a dark garage. Really, she deserved the world. As they rode the elevator, he thought how tonight was the start of something...hopefully something amazing. Even something as simple as riding in an elevator seemed so right. He had never understood how perfect it was to have her next to him, but now that he had his epiphany, there was no going back.

The doors opened in to his penthouse, and he practically shoved Jude into the place. Immediately he threw off the coat he had lent her and took in her beauty. Recovering from his momentary pause, he pulled her to him, his hands on her hips, then sliding up her waist and reaching her breasts. Gently squeezing them through the fabric of her dress, his need for her doubled as he felt her draw in a jagged breath. Sliding his hands up her chest to land behind her neck, he brought her closer and placed a determined kiss on her lips. Not allowing it to go further, he moved his hands down her back, over her rear, and to the back of her legs. In one swift motion, he lifted her into his arms, holding onto her lace-covered ass. Her legs automatically went around his waist, and her lips attached to his neck, just below his ear.

Her sucking made him crave her even more, wanting her to suck and lick and kiss every inch of him. With her still in his grasp, he ran up the stairs to his master suite as quickly as he could. Reaching the top of the stairs, he stopped and pushed her against the wall. She detached her lips from his neck and looked at him in surprise. Her now unoccupied lips were soon against his, moving in perfect rhythm. As her arousal increased, so did her movement against his hips—grinding and rolling to relieve her need for him. Her husky voice begged for more, "Baby...please..." That was all it took for Tommy to move from their post on the wall and carry her into his room.

Finally reaching his room, he was about to drop her onto the bed when he realized that they were both still fully clothed. Instead, he let her slide down his body to her own two feet. Their lips were still attached as he tried to unzip her dress blindly; however, his inability to do such a simple task caused him to part from her lips. Finding the side zipper, he made quick work of it, then gliding his hand over the shoulder strap, he removed it, making the dress easier to remove. Her hands stopped him, "Let me," she hushed.

Excited at what her offer might bring, he stopped his actions. Still with enough awareness to make some decisions, he walked over to his stereo system and put on some music. He didn't want anything sappy or too jazzy, but a playlist of some beats and music he had created over the years was the perfect mood-setter, not that they needed any help. Turning back to face his girl, he was stunned and speechless. Only in her high heels and lace boy shorts, she was a vision. Had he not already seen her in a similar state in Europe, he would have sworn he was dreaming. Stepping close enough to reach out and feel her, his hands skimmed over her barely clothed hips, taking in her every curve.

As his hands continued to caress every inch of skin they could find, she moved her hands to his shirt, unbuttoning each and every button slowly. Her actions were torture, all he wanted was to throw her on the bed and finally be inside of her. They could discover each other later, but he needed her now. Finally, she reached the bottom of his shirt and shoved it off of his shoulders harshly. The lithe hands went to his belt buckle and quickly rid him of it, then getting rid of the pants that were still a hindrance. His shoes had been left somewhere on the stairs, so Tommy was now standing before her in his boxers and a pair of socks.

Her hands traced every muscle and line of his chest, but after a moment, moved her mouth towards him and tasted his hardened abs and chiseled pecs. He couldn't take any more of her wicked tongue's actions, and picked her up and tossed her onto the bed. Ridding himself of his socks, he then moved toward her, placing his hands on her ankles. Slowly he took off each shoe, tossing them behind him, not caring where they landed. As much as he would have loved it if she had kept them on, they would only get in the way and slow things down.

His hands ran up her legs, soon reaching her hips, and landing on her breasts once again. Again, he squeezed them gently, and again, she moaned in pleasure. That sound made his whole body tense, and he quickly climbed onto the bed next to her. He felt like a teenager: anxious, slightly nervous, and pure excitement racing through his veins. Straddling her, he began to kiss her, moving from her lips to her neck to her chest. His mouth found her nipple, sucking on it before stroking it with his tongue. He could feel it grow harder as he continued his ministrations, reveling in the sounds coming from her mouth. After showing equal attention to each one, he moved lower, trailing kisses and nibbles and pecks down her abdomen, pausing briefly in her belly button, and continuing on to her center. As he reached the line of her sexy black underwear, his teeth tried to pull it away, but he was far too impatient for that. Quickly removing the garment, his mouth met her below her hip, pleased to find her obviously wet and ready for him.

As much as he had wanted to take things slow and memorize every inch of her with his tongue and lips, his need was too great. Placing a small kiss at her center, he felt her muscles contract and an "Oh!" escape her mouth. Any drop of blood not already in his pulsing hardness quickly rushed there, and it was all he could do to remove his own boxers before sinking into her. She met his initial thrust with her hips, taking him full to his hilt, and he groaned in pleasure. "Babes...more..." No more words could be said because he was already out of breath.

Her hands found his back as he continued to thrust into her wetness, slowly picking up his pace. He ignored the slight pain they caused, being overwhelmed by the pure perfection that was being with her. Her legs came up and wrapped around his middle, meeting his stroke for stroke, thrust for thrust. Never in his life had he wanted anything as much as he wanted this...with her...completely around him. Staring down at her, he lost all sense of control, and the feeling of her muscles clenching around him sent him spiraling over the edge, groaning her name. The "Aaahhhh Tommy!" gave evidence of her pleasure, the last erratic motions of pleasure moving them against each other.

He collapsed against her, their breathing ragged and labored. After a few moments, he rolled to the side, bringing her with him and pulling her flush against him. With all of the many one-night-stands he had over the years, and even the girl friends he had managed to stay with, he had never felt as completely undone and yet completely satisfied as he did now—the love of his life folded in his arms, naked body against sweaty naked body.

The moments grew longer, and the spent pair eventually drifted off to sleep. Tommy's last thought was that this was perfect. There had to be more to this night and this encounter than sex. If he didn't know better, he would say this was love. Nothing short of pure, perfect, passionate love. A smile on his lips, he placed a sweet kiss on the forehead of his girl and drifted off to a restful sleep full of sappy dreams of "happily ever after."

The song Jude sings at Kwest and Sadie's wedding was _You've Got the Love_, by Florence and the Machine (I'm slightly obsessed:)).


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

The light coming in through the slats in the blinds invaded her senses. Groggily she rubbed her eyes, trying to clear her head. She realized that she was in Tommy's bed, thrilled at how well she had slept that night. Squinting against the bright light, she stretched her arms above her and pointing her toes, fully elongating her form. Looking down, she was startled to see that she had no shirt on.

Immediately, her arms came down and she lifted the covers slightly, peaking underneath to see what state the rest of her was in. She shuddered, seeing that both she and Tommy were completely naked, and the events of the night before came rushing back. In the moment of silence, her eyes roamed over his body, pausing on his impressive manhood. She had only been with two guys over the years—her former best friend, Jamie, and an interim artist at the studio, now one of her good friends. Both had been last year, and neither were very memorable.

Jamie had been a good friend for a long time—the two had known each other since they were five or six. Once she had started to get close to Tommy, Jamie had gotten jealous and stopped talking to her. Once Tommy had gone to New York, she had attempted to re-connect with her old friend, thinking it would be easier now that his "competition" wasn't living in Toronto. For a while, things had been good, too. But one day, about a year after Tom had left, Jamie confessed that he still had feeling for her and he loved her. She had known all along that she would never feel that way about him, especially when her heart belonged to the man in New York. But, not knowing how to turn him down, she had agreed to go on a date with him.

A few weeks later, they were out together and ended up having too much to drink. Jamie had thought it was purely out of having a good time, but for Jude, it was a way to get rid of the ache in her heart that had started earlier that day upon seeing her best friend and love on the cover of some tabloid with another woman. Later she had found out it was Alana, his co-worker's wife and Kwest's cousin; but that night, she tried to drink away the pain and ended up sleeping with Jamie.

After that, things had been so awkward between the two that Jude had barely talked to Jamie. They "broke up" not even a week later, and Jamie took a job in Los Angeles. Eventually, she had talked to Tommy and told him about Jamie—leaving out the part about her jealousy being the reason for the night's drunken sex. He had been the perfect best friend, commiserating with her and eating ice cream over the phone.

About six months later, Mason had waltzed into G Major in Toronto. He was there to record a song for his album, on loan from a studio in Tennessee. Jude had worked with him for a couple of weeks to get his song down—they rewrote the lyrics, played with the melody, and changed up some of the chords—and they had grown close. One of his last nights in the city, they had gone to a bar. Jude opened up about Tommy, he opened up about a relationship he had just gotten out of with someone named Taylor. In his drunkenness, Mason had suggested that maybe she just needed to get Tommy out of her system by being with someone else. That night the two had gone back to his hotel room and slept together. Of course, the next morning they woke up with massive hang overs, and Jude still had Tommy on her mind.

She had tried to broach the subject gingerly, not wanting to hurt her new friend. Thankfully, he had confessed that he was still thinking about Taylor, who happened to be a guy. As awkward as the situation could have been, a friendship bloomed that morning. They hadn't told anyone about their night together until a few months ago when Jude told Tommy during a drunken game of Truth or Dare while on tour. She still talked with Mason at least once a week, and he was like the best girl friend she ever had.

Considering her two experiences with sex, she knew it wouldn't have been hard to be impressed. Regardless though, she knew that last night was amazing. Never before had she felt so alive and satisfied at the same time. Tommy did things to her that she only ever hoped to experience. Even though she wasn't a virgin, she experienced her first orgasm last night, and she wanted more.

Sadly, she knew that she may never get another one—at least from Tommy. At that thought, she began to panic. What would this mean for their friendship? Would he never want to see her again? Was she just a one-night-stand? Would he ask her to leave and act like it never happened?

As the panic took over full force, she slid out of bed, being careful not to wake up her companion. After sliding on her lace boy shorts from the night before, she walked into his walk-in closet, not wanting to go home in her bridesmaid dress from the day before. Grabbing a pair of his sweats, she started to put them on and then pulled a shirt off a hanger, all the while thinking about her night. She wasn't afraid to admit that she was glad to have slept with Tommy. To her, it was complete perfection; even if he didn't want to acknowledge it, she knew there was more to it than mindless, drunken sex. If she didn't know better, she would say it was love.

A pair of cool hands snaking around her waist startled her and caused her to jump slightly, falling back into the firm chest of her best friend and last night's lover. Before she could put on the shirt she had pulled out, a hand grabbed it from her and threw it on the floor.

"Babes," his husky voice rumbled against her back. "What do you think you're doing?"

Not sure of what to say or how to react, she simply said, "getting some clothes on. Why?" He turned her around in his arms so that she was now facing him. She was a little disappointed to see that he had put on a pair of boxers, but looked up to see his smiling face, slightly sleepy eyes, and messy bedhead.

"There are only two reasons you should be putting on clothes." Turning, he walked back toward the bed, dragging her with him. With the hand not held in his grasp, Jude covered her bare chest, still uncertain as to how this morning would turn out. "One, because you are cold. But if that is the case, I'll turn on the heater." He stopped at the edge of the bed and faced her, pulling her into a close embrace before continuing, "and two, because you are going to go downstairs to get some coffee. But if that's true, I would say forget the coffee, you taste way better."

At his words, she couldn't help but giggle. Uncertainty and anxiety still plagued her, but his comment was so very Tommy that she had to laugh. After a moment she removed herself from his hold and took a step back. As much as she wanted to pretend that everything was fine and that she wasn't worried, she couldn't. She had to know what she was getting in to. "What exactly are you saying?" Jude looked to the window and crossed both arms over her chest, nearly terrified that he would tell her he was kidding and this was all a joke.

He stepped in her direction and put a hand on each upper arm. "Jude." She wouldn't look at him, so he turned her face to meet his, keeping the other hand on her arm. "Jude, last night was kind of incredible."

Before he could say another word, she interrupted, "But..."

Tommy wouldn't let her continue. "Babes, listen. Last night was amazing, and I don't want to pretend it didn't happen or chalk it up to the alcohol. I think last night was real, and I liked it." He placed a small kiss on her nose. "Besides, you know how much better I sleep when you're in my arms...especially naked." With that, he grabbed her by the waist and tossed her onto the bed.

She was stunned for a moment, but as soon as he joined her, she fused their lips together, being overwhelmed by the need to taste him and feel him close to her.

She was beneath him as he continued his assault on her lips, but soon began to move down her body. When his lips found that special spot on her neck, just below her ear in the hollow behind her jaw, the pleasure started to course through her. Slowly, his wicked lips traveled down her body, landing in between her breasts. As he worked on one side, a hand caressed her side, moving over her hip and landing close to her center, pulling the sweatpants she wore down along the way. Brushing his index finger over her folds, Jude gasped, and her hips automatically reached to meet his hand. Moving his lips to her other breast, his fingers continued to play with her, massaging her lower lips. Every once in a while, a finger would dip inside her, causing her breath to catch, and her hips to buck closer to him.

Finally, he stopped his torture and let two fingers slide into her. Every thrust brought her closer to release, her breath becoming more ragged by the second. Just as she was going to let go, his fingers stopped. "No!" she shouted. He chuckled as his lips moved away from her breast, landing briefly at her belly button, tongue darting out to taste her. They continued their journey south, coming to pause at her entrance. Completely frustrated at how close she was, Jude yelled out, "Baby, come on!"

In response, he kissed her center gently. His tongue ran along the outside of her folds, causing her to whimper in want. Dipping into her, she let out a moan, needing more, but loving the feeling of having him so close. His lips latched onto her sweet nub, making a soft, "Oh!" escape her mouth. The licking, sucking, and gentle teething of her clit continued to build the heat racing through her body. When he again thrust two fingers in her, pleasure increased even more; at the addition of a third finger, release was close. His speed increased, and she let go, embracing the pleasure that was rolling over her in waves. She could barely breathe, so lost in her pleasure.

Once she had recovered enough speak, she wanted to return the favor. "Now its your turn, Babes. Pants off and on your back." She pointed to the spot next to her on the bed, and smiled as he stripped himself of his boxers. He was now hers...to enjoy anytime she wanted. And now, she wanted to enjoy him. She pushed him down on the bed and began her assault, loving that she could make him moan and groan in pure pleasure. After she took care of his needs, they fell asleep wrapped in each others arms.

Around noon, Jude slowly opened her eyes, adjusting quickly to the amount of light in the room. Rolling over, she was going to see if Tommy was awake, but was surprised when he wasn't beside her. Immediately she sat up, looking around the room for signs of him. She saw a pair of jeans laying by his closet, and her favorite hoodie of his was still by the foot of the bed, but he was no where to be found. Quickly she got up, putting on the lace boy shorts once again, and pairing them with the long-sleeve dress shirt he had on the night before. Peeking her head in the bathroom, she checked to see if that's where he was. Again not finding him, her heart started beating a little faster.

Despite his comments this morning, what if he was regretting them being together? What if he only wanted a little more fun? Would he want her around or should she leave? Her racing mind was interrupted at the smell of something delicious coming from downstairs. Walking into the hallway, she continued to sniff, trying to figure out what was being cooked. Not able to help herself, she walked down the steps and slowly entered the kitchen. Her grumbling stomach gave evidence to her hunger—not surprising since she hadn't eaten since last night at the wedding. She could hardly believe that not even 24 hours ago she was helping Sadie get ready for her wedding.

"Oh good, you're up." Tommy's voice broke through her train of thought.

He didn't seem to be upset in any way. _Thank goodness_, Jude thought. She decided to take a chance, and walked over to him. Though her nerves were pretty high, she walked closer to him and wrapped her arms around his waist, squeezing him lightly. His response made her heart sing in joy.

"Mmm..." Flipping whatever was on the stove, he then turned to face her and wrapped his arms around her. "I'm sure you're hungry...I'm starving. How does pancakes, fruit, and some eggs sound?"

The way he looked at her made her melt just a little. "That sounds great! Thank you." She reached up and gave him a quick kiss on the lips, then pulling back to ask, "Are the eggs..."

Before she had a chance to finish asking about the eggs, he put a finger on her lips, "Eggs are cooked over-medium. Pancakes are done and keeping warm in the oven, and fruit is in the fridge. Wanna grab the fruit and take it into the living room? I'll get everything set in here."

She only nodded her agreement, going over to the refrigerator. As she took the cut up variety of berries, pineapple, and bananas into the living room, she couldn't believe the way Tommy was acting. It was how she had always dreamed they would be—normal and taking care of each other. Really, it was no different than before, but now there was something else...dare she say love?

She walked back into the kitchen and grabbed a couple of mugs out of the cabinet. Pouring coffee into each, she asked, "About ready, Babes?"

"Yep, I just put the plates together. Let's go sit down." He motioned for her to walk ahead of him, which she did, bringing the coffee with her.

Nearly in the living room, she didn't hear him behind her and stopped her movement, turning and asking, "Are you coming?"

He gave her a sexy smirk, "I was enjoying the view." Finally, he took a few steps in her direction. Reaching her side, he set the plates on the coffee table and took the mugs out of her hands, placing them on some coasters. "You look so damn sexy in my shirt. If I wasn't so hungry, I would say that we should forget the food and go right back upstairs." He then pulled her close and their lips met in a strong but sweet kiss. Patting her rear lightly, he told her, "Lets eat now and we can go back upstairs as soon as we're done. We should probably talk about a few things anyways."

At his words, Jude's chest constricted and her palms became sweaty. No words would come, so she only nodded as she sat on his couch. She didn't see him look over at her because her eyes were focused on her plate. She felt him gently grab her chin and turn it towards him, "Babes, I want to be with you. I love spending time with you and I miss you when you aren't around. The past couple of days have been torture because you weren't next to me. Not only that, but you are sexy as hell. After that night in Paris, I've had to constantly remind myself that you aren't mine and we shouldn't be so close. But after last night and this morning, I wouldn't be able to keep my hands off you no matter how hard I tried." Hand still grasping her jaw, he pulled her closer and fused their mouths briefly. Jude was just starting to get into the kiss when he pulled away. As much as she didn't like to admit it, she was disappointed—her lips missed his already. Instead, she focused on his words, "That being said, we still need to figure some things out. Okay?"

Understanding what his earlier comment had meant, Jude agreed, "Sure, Hon." She went to take a bite of her food, but felt the need for one last bit of reassurance. "But you're sure about this, Babe? You want _us_ to be an _us_?"

Grabbing her hand, Tommy squeezed, "Yes Jude. I want to be with you. I want us to be an us. Is that what you want?"

The question in his eyes surprised her. How could he even question her desire for them to be more than friends. It was something she had thought and dreamed about for years. Squeezing his hand back, she nodded, "Yes, Tommy. That is exactly what I want." Taking a bite of her food, she moaned in pleasure. "Okay, seriously? This is incredible!" She finished chewing and swallowed, savoring every taste that had filled her mouth.

"Getting right down to business, do you want to tell anyone?" she asked him. She knew that he had never been one to flaunt relationships and enjoy public displays of affection. If he wanted to keep things between them quiet, she wouldn't be able to hide a hint of sadness. Of course, she would deal with it because being with him in secret would be far better than not being with him at all. She forced herself to stop thinking so much and listen to what the man next to her was saying.

"Honestly, I would love to tell the world. The moment you kissed me last night, I knew that this would be good and that it would last."

She smiled at his sweet words and gave him a quick peck, waiting for him to continue.

"But, as much as I want the world to know that you are mine, I want this to work even more." He looked away for a moment, and Jude instinctively knew that he was thinking about his past. She laid a hand on his knee, offering some silent encouragement. "You know that I don't have the best track record with relationships. I don't want to hide this, but I don't want to publicize it too much either. Does that make sense, is that okay?"

His sincerity was so obvious and clear to her, that Jude found herself agreeing. And honestly, she did understand. "I get it, Babes. An I agree. Let's keep this between us for now, not telling everyone we know." She was now finished with her food and set her plate on the coffee table where it joined Tommy's empty plate. Curling up beside him, she laid her head on his chest, enjoying the feeling of having him so close to her. Looking up at her...boyfriend?...she finished her thoughts. "Why don't we play it by ear. If we want, we can tell people, but we'll keep things quiet for a bit. What about Kwest and Saide?" As much as she may have wanted to keep things between her and Tommy, she knew that the moment Sadie saw her, she would know something was different.

She looked at Tommy and was surprised to see a somewhat sheepish look on his face. "I think Kwest might already know. We had this talk the other night and I'm pretty sure he has been expecting something like this to happen for a while. Is that okay?"

She chucked, "Of course, Baby! I think the same is probably true for Sadie. Oh well, that's two less people we really have to worry about." Removing herself from his side, she stood up and grabbed the plates. "Now, what do you say we wash these and head back upstairs?"

He jumped from the couch and grabbed the empty mugs and fruit bowl, "We don't need to wash them, just toss them in the sink." He reached the kitchen ahead of her and literally dropped the dishes. She couldn't help but smile, but stashed the plates she was holding in the sink as well. Turning, she expected to find him behind her, but was surprised to see him halfway up the stairs already.

A slightly distant, "Baby, come on!" drifted through the house, and she couldn't help but grin. This was the start of something spectacular, of that, she was sure.

…

The feeling of her in his arms was perfection, and Tommy realized that he never wanted it to end. He had always enjoyed waking up with Jude close by, but waking up the past couple of mornings with her actually wrapped in his arms was perfect. The past two days had been spent mostly in his bedroom, only leaving briefly for food every once in a while. Today was Tuesday, and the couple would have to head into work for a few hours. Thankfully, things should be pretty low key, and they would be able to get home early. Now that he had Jude to come home to, Tommy loved the idea of a short work day.

An obnoxious ring startled him out of his blissful state, and he remembered that his phone had been what had woken him up in the first place. Stealthily removing his arms from their place around his girl, he got out of bed and walked outside his room, making sure to grab the ringing phone.

Answering as soon as he got outside, Tommy was surprised at the voice on the other end. He moved down the steps and sat on his couch, throwing a blanket over himself to keep warm. Barely a sound was made on his end of the call, only listening to the shocking news coming from the person on the other end.

He barely registered Jude coming down the stairs, dressed in a pair of his sweatpants and a tank top she had left here a few weeks ago. He continued to listen what was being said, and was just hanging up when Jude set a cup of coffee in front of him. He could only smile at her, still processing what the lawyer from social services had said. The feeling of her hand on his leg startled him, but he gratefully accepted her touch.

Picking up the coffee mug, Tommy took a huge gulp, needing the caffeine. He sat in silence for at least ten more minutes, still processing the news he just received, thinking about what it would mean.

The soft voice of his girl interrupted his thoughts, "Tommy, what's going on?"

Though he had been processing the news for a while, he still wasn't sure where to start, and he told her as much.

"Start at the beginning. Who was on the phone?"

He loved that she made things simple for him. She knew just how to focus his thoughts and get going. "Well, that was a lawyer...for a social services office in Gowanda, New York. Apparently it's about an hour outside of Buffalo, and about two and a half hours from Toronto. The lawyer told me that I..." As much as he wanted to just come right out and tell her, the magnitude of the situation really hit him in that moment. He paused, wondering if he should just come out and say it or give a little history. Looking at Jude, he saw pure compassion reflecting back at him, and he loved how perfectly supportive she was, even though she didn't know what was going on. Deciding to push forward, he cleared his throat and took her hands in his. He closed his eyes, knowing that what he said next may have her running for the door. "Babes, I have a daughter. She's five."

Letting the weight of that revelation sit for a few moments, he eventually ventured a look at Jude, nervous and curious for her reaction. When he opened his eyes, he was blown away by what he saw. Her beautiful blue eyes were literally shining with warmth and care and support.

Grabbing his right hand with both of hers, she began to massage it, and asked, "So, tell me about her. Why did a lawyer contact you?"

"Really?" He had a hard time believing that it was that simple. "You aren't upset?"

"Why would I be upset? Sure, I'm a little startled, you have a daughter. But Babes, that is amazing! I would be upset if you didn't tell me about her, but you didn't know about her. I want to know about her, and I want to know why you are just finding out about her today."

Switching hands, Jude grabbed his left hand and began massaging it as she waited for him to continue. A moment later, after getting over his slight shock, Tommy began to share what the lawyer had told him. "I guess Angie had her almost five years ago. After quitting Boyz Attack, I took some time off and then came to work for Georgia. About a year after leaving Angie and the band, she came to Toronto one night, claiming that she had changed and that she wanted us to be friends. We ended up grabbing drinks after work, and the next thing I remembered was waking up the next morning in some hotel. I was an idiot for even thinking that she had changed, and she proved me right. Angie drugged my drink and dragged me to the hotel. I wanted to believe that nothing happened, but clearly I was fooling myself. After realizing how stupid I had been, I took a couple of weeks off to collect myself; the week after I got back, you started interning."

At his last statement, he saw Jude smile. That small act brightened his mood slightly, and he was once again blessed by her encouragement. Her question didn't come as a surprise, "Are you sure the kid is yours?"

"Yeah. I guess when Angie came to town a few months ago, she wanted to tell me that we had a kid. Her lawyer had encouraged her to get a DNA test to verify that it was my child. But, she got drunk and chickened out. However, when she was here, she grabbed some hair or something and had the test done anyway. The results were sent to the lawyer assigned to her case, and the girl is, in fact, mine."

"Surprisingly enough, that makes sense." She removed one of her hands from his and put it to his cheek, caressing it lightly. "So did the lawyer call just to tell you that she is yours?"

Her hand stayed on his cheek, so he turned slightly and kissed her palm. In that moment, Tommy knew that Jude was the only person who would ever be so supportive. "That was part of it. But, what it came down to is that Angie was found dead in her apartment early last week. The authorities officially closed the case and ruled her death as being caused by an overdose."

"Hon, what about the girl...what about your daughter?"

Her question made his eyes start to tear. What woman would ever have such immediate concern for the welfare of a girl she didn't even know? The instant regard she had for his child blew him away, and his love for her was reinforced tenfold. As he thought of the person that was about to change his life...their lives...a small smile made its way to his face. "Her name is Samantha, but apparently she likes to be called Sam. New York has a mandatory waiting time of thirty days before I can take custody. Thankfully, that started the day Angie died. The social services lawyer is sending all of the custody paperwork to my lawyer, which should only take a few days to sign and process. A child services agent will bring Sam to Toronto in about two weeks."

He stopped talking, not sure how Jude would take the last bit of news. He knew the moment he heard about Sam and Angie that he wanted to take care of her and be her father. But this relationship with his girl was so new, he didn't want to ruin things before they got a chance to start. After a long silence on Jude's part, his anxiety broke out and he asked, "What do you think about all of this?"

"Is she going to stay here?"

The inquiry startled Tommy. He wasn't sure what she was getting at, and he didn't want to give the "wrong" answer. But, he also knew that he had to be honest. Instead of answering, he just nodded. Sam would definitely stay with him.

There was a pause, and then Jude shocked him even more. She agreed, "That makes things easier. You can use the spare room at the top of the stairs—the one across from your room—for her. Do you know her favorite colors or what she likes to do? We can go shopping over the next couple of weeks to make sure you have everything she needs. And we should probably look at some schools, right? I mean, five-year-olds go to school I think. What about..."

Before she could continue, Tommy lunged at her and wrapped his arms around her. A few tears escaped, no matter how hard he tried to hold them in. Taking a deep breath, he pulled back, making sure to look her in the eye. "Are you sure about this? You want to help? You're in this with me?"

"Seriously?" She looked at him incredulously. "Yes I want to help. Of course I am in this with you." She closed her arms around him, seemingly trying to convey her feelings.

The pair separated after a few moments, and Tommy placed a sweet kiss on her lips. He was still processing what this all meant, but was so thankful for to woman next to him.

She gave him a quick peck on the cheek and said, "Babes, I know that there is still a lot to talk about, but we do have to get into the studio. Why don't we plan on dinner tonight and we can figure things out, okay? I'll bring Chinese over tonight."

How was she able to do that? She knew when they needed a break from such an emotional morning, but also knew that he would still need to process things. "That sounds perfect." Looking at her intently, he wanted her to see how truly thankful he was. "Thank you, Babes. You're the best."

Giving each other another quick hug, they went upstairs, falling back into their routine of getting ready and heading out for the day. Tommy went into work alone because Jude had a few errands to run before heading into the studio that afternoon. Hours later, he was sitting in his office sifting through the build up of paperwork on his desk when his phone rang. Thinking it was his girl, he answered quickly with a happy, "Hey there!"

Surprised by such a chirpy response, Kwest chuckled, "What's up with you man?"

Realizing his mistake, Tommy amended his tone and brushed off the question. "Not much, not much. What about you? How's the honeymoon?"

Kwest regaled him with tales of their honeymoon so far. They were in Venice for a week—taking in the sights and enjoying the romantic setting. Nearly a half an hour later, Kwest once again asked, "So, what's up with you, man?"

"I'm not going to get out of answering am I?" Tommy knew his friend wouldn't let him off the hook. And, to be honest, it might be nice to talk to him about the craziness of the past couple of days. "Well, I guess you should know that Jude and I aren't exactly friends anymore."

"Ah, man! What did you do?"

Chuckling, Tommy explained. "Kwest, not like that. I took a chance. After all that talking you and James were doing before the wedding, I figured out that maybe I did want more from Jude. We got a bit tipsy at the wedding and ended up together that night. I caught her trying to escape and, at the risk of sounding completely cheesy and girlie, I realized that I didn't want her to leave."

"Wow." The single word was the only response from Kwest.

"Dude, I love her."

Again, "Wow" was the only word Kwest said.

"I know, right? We are now an _us_."

"To be honest, T, that isn't all that surprising. More like a long time coming."

Not surprised by his friend's comment, Tommy chucked. But, a moment later, he sobered. Taking a deep breath, he continuing with his confessions, "That may be true. But, you haven't heard the craziest thing. I found out this morning that I have a daughter." Waiting for the impending shock, he wasn't surprised.

"What? Tom, what are you saying?"

"Kwest, I think I just said I have a daughter."

"But...How...Who..." After a minute, Kwest seemed to gather his thoughts. "Who is the kid's mom? And how did you find out?"

"First, her name is Sam." From there, Tommy told the rest of the story. He even shared how Jude had reacted and what she had said. He confessed how scared he was about being a dad all of a sudden, but how he felt like he could do it as long as Jude was helping out. Over twenty minutes had passed when he had finished explaining all that had changed that morning.

A period of silence passed, and Tommy waited for his friend's reaction. "I can't believe it. You have a kid; rather, you have a little family. What about Jude?"

"What do you mean? I told you how great she was." Tommy didn't understand what Kwest was trying to get at.

"Tom, she may say that she's great with things, but have you thought about how much this changes? I mean, the girl is 21 and has just gotten into a relationship with a 27 year old former playboy. If that isn't enough, she is now recording an album, and still working as a producer. And now, on top of all of that, you have a kid. She's going from a decently normal life to one with a new job, a new relationship, and a new kid. Do you really think its that easy?"

Before, Tommy had been so sure and confident of his girl's words that morning. But maybe Kwest was right. What if she didn't really want all of this? What if she would walk away? What if this wasn't real? "So what should I do?" He needed answers and help. Hopefully Kwest would have something helpful.

"I'm not saying you should do anything. I'm just saying that you should take it slow with her. She's been through a lot—between the tour, her contract, the wedding, and you, she's had a lot going on. Don't expect her to step into the role of "mommy" right away."

"Right. I get you." Staring up at the ceiling of his office, Tommy pondered what Kwest had said. "Look, man. I have to go. Have a great rest of your trip and we'll chat when you get back, okay?"

For the next three hours, no real work was accomplished. Tommy sat at his desk, thinking about what Kwest had said. Was he pushing too much on Jude? Should he just walk away now? It would certainly be better to walk away now before he got in even further. Each and every one of Jude's eight phone calls and fifteen text messages was ignored. He figured that it would be better to make a clean cut rather than pretend to keep things going when they wouldn't last for the long haul.

Just after six, he walked into his place and threw his keys onto the table by the door. Since his conversation with Kwest, he had been miserable. The one person he wanted to talk things over with was the one person he was trying to avoid. Maybe avoiding Jude wasn't the best plan. How the hell would he stay away from her? Maybe he shouldn't have come back to Toronto?

A knock on the door interrupted his mind's ramblings, and Jude's voice called out to him, "Tommy? You there?" Knowing that the moment he let her in his resolve would be weakened, he ignored her and started up the stairs to his office. A minute later, he heard the door opening, and he wasn't sure whether to be relieved or frustrated. Deciding to not think on it more, he continued up the stairs and locked his office door.

…

Letting herself into his place, Jude left her keys in the door and went straight to the kitchen to put down the two bags full of Chinese food containers. All day she had been trying to get ahold of Tommy, but to no avail. The first couple of times she had a simple question for him or had wanted to tell him something funny, but once she realized that he was ignoring her calls and not responding to her text messages, she had started to worry. A few hours ago she had gone by the studio, needing to drop a few things off and work on some of her artist's songs. She figured that would be the perfect time to talk to him. But again, she was ignored. It was like he saw her come in and ran into his office, closing and locking the door.

Similarly, Jude knew that he was now locked away in his office. She had heard him close the door when she came in, and the unmistakable sound of the lock clicking into place followed quickly. Figuring there had to be a clue somewhere around his place, she took a look around. Finding his cell phone on the counter, she opened it and looked at his call history. Maybe the lawyer had called with bade news? Maybe he found out more about Angie?

Looking at his recent call log, she wasn't surprised to see a ton of ignored calls from her. It looked like the last person he talked to was Kwest—earlier that day, just before he started acting strange. Deciding that Kwest would be more helpful than trying to coerce Tommy into telling her what was going on.

On the fifth ring, he answered. An exasperated, "Finally!" came out of Jude's mouth. She got right down to business, and asked, "What happened, Kwest?"

"What?" Confusion was clearly evident in his voice.

"You talked to Tommy for over an hour today. After that conversation, things got weird and he ignored me. So, I ask again: What happened?" If Kwest didn't start talking soon, she would reach through the phone and ring his neck.

"Oh. What do you mean, 'things got weird'?"

"He ignored my calls and didn't respond to my text messages. What did you say to him?" Now she was getting impatient. Why wouldn't he just tell her what happened?

"Jude, how are you handling everything?"

"Kwest, if you don't tell me what the hell is going on, I'm never gonna move out and your kid will have to sleep in the basement! Just tell me what happened when you were on the phone with Tommy!" Jude's voice had risen a whole octave in the last ten seconds, and she was about to start screaming. For Tommy's sake, she didn't want it to quite get there, but she would do what she had to.

"Fine." Jude could hear the sigh from the other end of the phone. "We talked about all the crazy shit that's been happening. He told me about you guys and then told me about Samantha."

Before he could continue, Jude interrupted, "Sam. She likes to be called Sam."

"And then we talked about how this would affect you guys."

"What do you mean 'affect' us?"

There was another sigh from Kwest before he continued. "Jude, do you realize how much things will change once she gets here?"

Did Kwest think she was an idiot? Of course she understood that things would change. "Of course things will change. But isn't it better to be by his side through this. Sure, us being an 'us' is new, but who are we kidding? This has been a long time coming."

"But what about the normal stuff? It won't just be you guys anymore. There will be someone else to consider now. Really, there will be someone else who is more important. You know that she has to come first, no matter what. And what happens if you and Tom get in a fight? I know that you guys always work things out, but sometimes it takes lots of loud arguments to get there. You can't do that in front of a little girl."

She stopped him before he could continue. "Kwest, stop. I love Tommy. No matter what, I will be by his side and helping him out. I don't even know Sam, but I already love her. You know what I did today? I went to that hardware store by the studio to look at paint colors. I've already thought about how we can decorate her room; and I bought her a guitar—one of those child half-sized ones . I know I'm not her mom, but I want to be there and help take care of her and help raise her. If that means that I'm not the most important thing in Tommy's life, then so be it."

After a moment of silence, a quiet, "Are you sure?" came through the phone.

"Yes." She needed Kwest to understand how serious she was about this.

"In that case, I'm sorry. I honestly didn't mean to cause any trouble or any drama between you guys. And yeah, this thing between you two has been a long time coming. I'm excited for you."

"Thanks. Now, I would love to hear how your trip is, but I have a sulking man to find. Talk to you when you get back?" After saying goodbye to her new brother-in-law, Jude grabbed the bags of food and a couple of forks and headed up the stairs. She knocked on the door, not expecting to get a response. Not surprised when there wasn't any reaction, Jude set the food down and grabbed a credit card out of her wallet. Thankful that she had thrown the wallet in with the bags of food, Jude jimmied the lock and eventually pushed the door open.

Grabbing the food, she walked into the dark room and smiled at the site of her best friend, and now lover, sitting at his desk, head in hands. She could tell that he had just put something away, but didn't care enough to question him about it. There were more important things at hand. Setting the food on the ground, she sat on the couch, somewhat across from Tommy.

"Babe, we need to talk."

…

Rolling the ring between his fingers, Tommy thought about his day. The conversation with Kwest had really thrown him off and he was still not sure what to do. As much as he thought the best choice might be to ignore Jude, he knew that it wouldn't be easy. To be honest, he didn't want to avoid his girl. Not only was she his girlfriend now, but she was his best friend. He told her everything.

Continuing to fiddle with the ring, he thought about what he decided yesterday. Before the drama and craziness with Sam began this morning, Tommy decided that this ring would be Jude's engagement ring. It wasn't all that surprising, especially after all of the comments James and Kwest had said, but he knew that it would be the perfect ring for that occasion. Since waking up that Sunday morning, a very naked and beautiful Jude in his arms, Tommy knew that this was it. He wanted to be with her like that forever.

But then there was Sam. Not to be mistaken, Tommy was thrilled to be a father. He was nervous about it, of course, but he was excited. Would he have to choose between his girl and his new daughter? Kwest's words had scared him for the future. What if Jude really didn't want this? What if she walked away? Was he saddling her with too much? She was only 21, but she was also mature as hell. Really, she was perfect. Could he really handle it if she left. The answer was a resounding "NO!" His heart would literally be broken if that happened; but could he prevent it? Again, the answer was no.

A rattling at the door alerted him to Jude's presence. He knew that she would be able to pick the lock quickly—he had taught her that trick! Hurriedly, he put the ring back in its case and shoved it in the top drawer of his desk. Putting his head in his hands, he wasn't sure how to respond when she opened the door.

"Babe, we need to talk."

Her sweet voice invaded his thoughts, and he looked up at her. Still not sure what to say, he did the easy thing and stayed quiet. Thankfully, she was willing to take control of the conversation.

"I talked to Kwest and he told me about your conversation." She got up and moved over to his desk. Sitting on the side of it, she took his hands in hers and continued speaking. "Tommy, do you understand that I want to be a part of this? I want to be by your side every step of the way. I already love Sam and I don't even know her." Pulling her hands out of his, she put them on his cheeks, forcing him to look at her. "Babes, I won't let you do this alone."

Her words brought some comfort to him, but there were still questions. What if she left once things got hard? He knew that this conversation had to happen, regardless of how much he wanted to push things aside and just hold her. He had needed her comfort today. "What happens when things get hard though?"

"Then we'll get through them together."

"And what about when Sam has to come first?" This is one of the things he had really started to worry about. As great as Jude was, would she be okay if he couldn't focus on her and her alone?

"Then she has to come first." Her hands were still cupping his face, and she leaned in, kissing him on the nose. The feeling of her lips on him were perfect, and he closed his eyes to savor the moment. "Hon, I know that the world won't revolve around us, and I'm okay with that. I know that Sam will be the priority for a long time, and that's okay...its good!" Again, she kissed him, though this time on the lips.

His lips burned after hers left them; that was what he needed for the rest of his life. Her lips...her support...just her. But, he had to be sure that she knew what she was getting into. "You're sure about this, Babe?"

"Yes." She said it so determinedly that he couldn't help fut believe her. "I'm with you."

Hearing her reassurance, he couldn't help but grab her and pull her onto his lap. "I'm so glad. I missed you today." Placing a sweet kiss on her lips, he was about to tell her how much he loved her, but he wasn't sure if it was the right time.

She jumped off of his lap and he was saddened by the loss of her close proximity. When she grabbed the food, he understood her intentions, and joined her on the floor by the couch. They ate nearly all of the eight containers full of Chinese food, and were just sitting, his arm around her, leaning against the couch.

Abruptly, Jude sat more upright and looked at him. Her expression was so intent, so serious, that he knew he had to listen. Her eyes were shining with honesty and vulnerability, a hint of uncertainty peaking through as well. She took his hands in hers and took a deep breath. "Babes, I think I need to tell you something."

At her comment, the worry started to set in. Was she done with this? So soon? Already?

She must not have noticed his confusion, and took another breath. "I need you to know that I love you. I know its soon but I just..."

Jude didn't get a chance to finish what she was saying, Tommy's lips getting in the way of her words. Almost automatically, their kiss deepened, his tongue exploring each and every crevice of her mouth. A full ten minute later, they separated, both completely out of breath.

"I love you too. I think I always have, but I only just realized it. I love you so much and you are the only one I want to do this with. I need you by my side with Sam and with everything." Kissing her again, he lay her down on her back on the floor. One hand slid down her body, taking in her every curve, the other helped to support his weight so he didn't crush her beneath him. The kissing continued and progressed, and soon, clothes were flying in every direction. Bodies were heated and covered in a sweaty glow soon, as passion spiraled out of control. Not twenty minutes later, the couple was completely spent—wrapped in a blanket and each other's arms, lingering in their post-coital pleasure. Though their love-making had not been drawn out, it was blissfully intense, both being brought to orgasm quickly and consumingly.

A few moments later, Tommy sat up and was once again reminded of how being with Jude seemed to be what he was made for. If nothing else in his life went well, he would know that being with her was perfect.

Not wanting to get drawn into such sappy thoughts, he turned to his girl and grinned. "So, Sweets...wanna make some music?"

"I thought we just did..." she quipped, giving him a smirk complemented by sparkling eyes.

He couldn't help but laugh at her comeback. It was such a Jude thing to say, and he loved her for it. "We certainly did that," he replied, nudging her in the side. "But, I was more thinking that we could take a look at your journal...you can show me some of what you were thinking about for your album."

If the radiant smile on her face was any indication, Jude loved the idea. Giving him a quick kiss, she stood and walked out of the room. Her nakedness made his grin grow, and he fought to not chase after her and begin round 2. They would have plenty of time for that later tonight. Now, they should regain some energy and take a look at some of her music.

Smirking at the thought of a later round 2, Tommy got up and grabbed one of his acoustics, knowing that it would come in handy. Waiting for his girl to return, he strummed to the melody of _Better Together_, and thought of the perfect time to show her. Lost in thoughts of proposals and serenades, he didn't notice when his girl re-entered the room, journal in hand, not a piece of clothing in sight. Her lips on his ear startled him, but he quickly adjusted, turning and kissing her.

…

Leaning down, she placed a light kiss on his ear. She had seen him playing, but it was so soft that she couldn't really hear until she got closer. Once she was close enough to kiss his ear, she took a brief moment to listen. She couldn't wait to hear the whole song—lyrics and everything—but that would come later.

When he turned and kissed her, she kissed him back. After a moment they separated, and Jude grabbed the guitar out of his hands, moving back towards the couch and their abandoned blanket. Pulling it around her, she started fiddling, letting Tommy look through her journal. He would ask her to play certain parts of a song, wondering about the transition or a beat, and she would comply. Stopping on a particular song for a long while, he eventually asked her about it.

"Let me play it for you, first. Okay?" She wanted him to get the full effect before explaining how the song came to be. Strumming lightly, she tried to bring back some of the raw emotions that inspired the song. Eventually, she began to sing, losing a sense of where she was and who she was with.

_This city's always raining  
When you haven't got a coat  
I once was a grand pianist  
But I can't recall a note_

And it just keeps going round and round  
I'm stuck in a cycle and I can't get out  
My head is all turned upside down  
Stuck in a cycle and I can't get out

Since you left me  
It's been rain city

Last night I swore I saw you  
Across a crowded hall  
I ran like mad to catch you  
Just to realize it wasn't you at all

And it just keeps going round and round  
I'm stuck in a cycle and I can't get out  
My head is all turned upside down  
Stuck in a cycle and I can't get out

Since you left me  
It's been rain city

Wake up to find my left side is right  
My body is inside out  
Lift my feet up but they're taking me down  
My body is inside out

Just keeps going round and round  
I'm stuck in a cycle and I can't get out  
Just keeps going round and round  
And round round round round

Since you left me  
It's been rain city

"Wow, Babes. That was beautiful." He looked at her and smiled. After another minute, he asked, "Where did that come from?"

While she knew that those feelings were no longer as present, she also knew that it was a rough couple of months when he left for New York a few years ago. She told him as much, saying, "When you left for New York, it wasn't a big deal at first. The first couple of weeks, I felt like you were coming back any minute and I would see you again. But the more time that passed, the more I realized that you were gone. For the next month, I hardly came out of my room. I felt like the world was ending a little bit...everything was backwards and wrong. It was like I was spinning in circles and there was nothing to stop me."

Putting the journal down, Tommy hugged her from behind. "I'm so sorry." He kissed the side of her face, letting his lips linger for a moment. "Would it make you feel better if I told you I was miserable too?"

Laughing, she set the guitar aside and turned to face him. "No! I don't like you being sad...especially when we were sad together." Settling herself back into his arms, she continued, "Eventually it got better, I was able to function again. Honestly, I didn't ever stop missing you, it just got easier to deal." Lifting her head slightly, her lips met his briefly, "I'm just glad you're back now."

"Mmmm. Me too, Sweetheart. Me too."

They kissed again, followed by Tommy picking up her journal once again. He flipped through, reaching the last quarter or so of the book. Stopping for a moment on a page, Jude looked over to see that he had stopped on _Realize_. She batted the journal out of his hands, not wanting him to read it quite yet. Sure, they were together now and loved each other, but that song was so raw that she would need a little more time to prepare. Besides, it would be a sweet thing to show him one day—let him know that he had always been what she wanted and that they would work.

...

I know nothing of child services or social services in New York (or anywhere else). The things I wrote are there because they fit with the story, nothing more, nothing less.

The song Jude plays for Tommy is _Rain City_, by Lucy Schwartz.


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The past week had been perfect. She had been in and out of the studio with Tommy, and in and out of bed with him too. They had continued to solidify their routine, and Jude loved the normalcy of their relationship. It was what she had always thought being with him would be like: completely normal, but somehow better. Their days would often start with a quick round, and then they were off to the studio. Whether she was recording her own songs or producing for one of the other bands, Jude spent her time enveloped in the music. Every once in a while, she would visit Tommy in his office, usually before grabbing lunch, and he would often swing by the studio when she was recording.

Those were the times she loved being in the studio the most. The chemistry they had when they were producing together was multiplied tenfold when she was in the booth. Mike, one of the other producers on staff, would always leave the room when Tommy walked in, knowing that the two of them needed no one else.

Eventually, he would have to go back to other things, and she would finish her studio session as quickly as possible. She would continue working on other projects, and at the end of the day, Tommy would meet her in the lobby and they would leave the studio together. On the way home they would grab some takeout or hit the market to pick up some food for dinner. Together, they would eat and unload about their days, sharing the high points and the low ones. Usually, the pair would end up on the couch watching an old movie or some show, only to be interrupted when Jude had need for her nightly dessert. Inevitably, that would lead to her grabbing a few spoonfuls from the carton of ice cream and then leading Tommy upstairs.

Of course, that was the PG version of their day, the reality was that in the morning when she went into his office, their talks invariably ended in a "quickie." Then, he would visit her in the studio and, in between takes on a song, he would give her a kiss that would turn into a heated make out session, often ending in another round in a storage supply closet. At the end of the day, after Jude had her ice cream, they would race each other upstairs. Whoever got to the bedroom and rid themselves of clothes first won torturing rights. The night would end with two sweaty bodies laying next to each other completely spent and satisfied.

Jude let a smile escape at the thought of their routine, but tried to hide the blush that was quickly coloring her cheeks. The smallest of memories of their time together always brought a rosiness to face and a heat to the pit of her stomach. She couldn't help it—Tom Quincy was one talented man in the bedroom. He affected her in ways she didn't know possible, and the mere thought of him could make her horny as hell.

Trying to shove those thoughts away, Jude shook her head and focused on the task at hand. She was driving to her sister's house for some tea. Kwest and Sadie had gotten back the day before, and her sister had immediately planned a coffee date for them. Sadie said that she just wanted to share her pictures and tell her all about the honeymoon, but Jude knew better. Kwest had obviously shared her and Tommy's news and now Sadie would be giving her the third degree.

Pulling up to her childhood home, Jude took a deep breath, mentally preparing herself for the onslaught of questions that was about to come. Walking up the front steps was slightly surreal—she was walking up to her former home as a guest, not an occupant. Before she could knock, Sadie threw open the door and wrapped her arms around her sister.

After a minute, Jude tried to escape the embrace, saying, "Sadie, I'm glad to see you too, but I need to breath!"

"Right, sorry!" Letting go, she ushered Jude into the house, "Come in, come in!"

Getting the pleasantries out of the way, Sadie plopped on the couch after setting down two cups of tea. "So, what's the deal? What happened to forgetting about Tommy."

Jude couldn't help the laugh that came out, it was funny how obvious her sister was. "Really, Sades? You aren't even going to pretend to show me some pictures?"

A mildly shocked look came over Sadie, but she shrugged her shoulders, "Who are we kidding, Jude? We both know I wanted to hear about you and Tommy. Spill."

Knowing that she couldn't avoid this conversation, Jude agreed. "Fine. Where would you like me to start?" 

Curling her feet under her, Sadie thought about the question for a moment. "Well, last time we really talked was the night before the wedding. You told me you were going to try and get over Tommy. The next thing I know you two are a thing. So, I guess start the day of the wedding."

Nodding her head, she thought of the best way to approach things. Jude knew that her sister wasn't thrilled with this development in her love life, and she didn't want to further tarnish the opinion she had of Tommy. "Um...I guess I'll start with the next morning—the day of the wedding. After the hair and makeup brigade got there, Tommy dropped by with coffee. We ended up talking for a while, but eventually, he had to go back to his place to get ready with the guys. After that, I couldn't really get him out of my mind. Seriously, all day long I was thinking about him." Taking a sip of her tea, she thought back to that day. It had been torture to not be able to talk to him for most of the day, and when she finally saw him in the church, it was like a burden had been lifted—she had been so relieved to see her best friend. Knowing that she needed to continue, Jude spoke up again. "Anyways, fast forward to the reception. While I was singing, I saw him looking at me...funny? At the time, I didn't know what the look meant. So, I decided to find him after I finished. But, after getting off stage, I saw him dancing with Alana." The memory nearly brought tears to her eyes. She had been crushed at the sight of her love and another woman, no matter how harmless the other woman was! "I think I was contemplating just leaving, but Spied found me. He kind of dragged me on to the dance floor, and we had an interesting little chat. He told me to not give up and that I should talk to Tommy—you know, actually be honest with him? I agreed, but went to get a drink first. A little liquid courage never hurt anyone, especially when talking to the love of your life who doesn't know that he is the love of your life."

Needing a bit of a break, Jude went to take another sip of her tea and realized that her cup was empty. Getting up, she held up a finger to Sadie, knowing she was about to complain. "I'll be right back. Chill out."

A few moments later, she reentered the living room with a fresh cup of tea and sat down once again. Not wanting to delay the inevitable, she launched right back in to her story. "Anyways, I was sitting at the bar and Tom ended up sitting next to me. I don't know how long it was before either of us realized it, but eventually, we did. We just talked out our day and caught up on what had happened. Normally we talk a ton during the day, but because of the wedding, we barely said a word to each other after he brought me coffee. I think we ended up having, like three or four drinks, and both of us were a bit tipsy. I told him I got jealous of him and Alana; and then I said something about him looking yummy." She crinkled her nose at the thought. She would never call someone "yummy" when she was sober. But, thinking back to how he looked that night, she had to admit he was particularly handsome.

Sadie interrupted her thoughts, "So, what happened?"

"Sorry. Uh, he said all of these really sweet things about taking care of me and wanting to be there for me." Thinking of their conversation that night, she remembered their dad's transfer. "Did you know Dad was getting another transfer?"

"Yeah, he told me a few days before the wedding. But who cares about that? What happened?"

Looking at Sadie, Jude had to try really hard to hold in a laugh. The way she was perched on the couch, leaning forward, eyes wide was a funny sight to behold. "We, uh...we kind of..." This was the part Jude didn't want to talk about. But knowing she had to, she continued. "We slept together. I told him we could blame it on the alcohol, and we kind of rushed out of the building. I was going to leave the next morning, but he stopped me and told me I should stay."

She continued to tell her sister about the events of the last ten days, not going into too much detail, but making sure to mention all of the "highlights." She told her about Sam and about the room that she was helping Tommy decorate. She even told her that she loved the routine her and Tommy were creating. Ultimately, Jude was proud of herself for telling Sadie everything.

Finally finished telling her tale, Jude sat in silence, waiting for her sister's reaction. After a few moments of no words being spoken, she spoke up. "Sadie? Thoughts?"

Another moment of silence passed, Sadie, at long last, responded. "Wow! I just don't have any... Wow!" Several shakes of her head later, she looked up at Jude. "Do you realize that you are now playing house with him?"

"What do you mean? Is that really all you have to say?" Jude was shocked! She had been sure that her sister would have tried talking her out of this thing with Tommy, or at least tell her that she was being dumb. But to hear that Sadie only thought she was playing house was kind of incredible.

Her sister shrugged her shoulders. "Honestly, I'm not surprised that you and Tommy got together. I never thought he would do anything about his obvious feelings, and I do have a few concerns, but I'm not surprised." She took another sip of her tea, irritating Jude by drawing out the conversation. "But Jude, do you realize that you are already taking on the roll of mommy and you haven't even met the girl yet? I mean, you helped to decorate her room and you have bought her clothes...not just bought clothes with Tommy's money, but with your own."

"But, that was just me trying to help out. Its not like I don't owe Tommy anything. And its not like I'm planning on Sam calling me 'Mom' or something. Tommy's never done this and I'm just trying to help out." She didn't understand what the big deal was. Yes, she was probably going beyond 'helping out a little', but it was Tommy. He was new at this and they promised that they would get through it together.

"That's just it, Jude! You and Tommy just started this relationship thing. It would be one thing if you helped him shop for a few things, but you're doing more than that. You bought the girl a guitar for heaven's sake!"

"Really, Sadie? Is it that surprising that I would buy the girl a guitar?"

"I guess not. But what about when she comes at the end of the week? Kwest and I are back and you don't have a place to say. You've been staying with Tommy for over a month since getting back from tour, and you are no closer to finding an apartment now than you were when you got back. Do you really think that you can just live with him? Has he even asked you to move in yet?"

Sadie's questions caused Jude to pause. Did Tommy think she was intruding? Should she find a place? That had always been the plan, but after the last week of being with Tommy, she couldn't help but feel sad at the though of not going to bed with him and waking up to his perfect face and messy hair in the morning. "He gave me a key? Does that mean anything?" Did it? He gave her the key before even leaving for New York a couple of years ago, and had never asked for it back. He knew she had it, too—he had seen her use it on multiple occasions.

"I guess that's something. Just promise me you'll give it some thought. I mean, this is a new relationship. Are you even ready to be living with him? Is he ready for a live-in girlfriend and a daughter at the same time? This is Tom Quincy we're talking about. His last real girlfriend was Angie, and we both know how that turned out."

Jude was silent in her thought, not sure how to handle what Sadie had said. Deep in thought, she looked around the room and her eyes landed on the clock above the fire place. The time she read clicked, and she hurriedly put her cup down and stood up. "Wow... Uh, I have to go. This was great Sades, I'm glad you're back. We'll chat later this week, okay?"

As she gathered her things to leave, she saw her sister's look. "Where are you off to, Jude?"

"I have an appointment in about ten minutes." She knew Sadie would make some comment when she found out Jude's true destination.

"Where, Jude?" The stern look on her face would cause anyone to cower, especially her younger sister.

"At Cornerstone."

"Jude, why do you have a meeting at Cornerstone Montessori Prep?"

Stopping with her hand on the door, Jude turned to face her sister. "Fine...it's not like you won't find out anyways. Tommy and I are meeting with the principal to check out the school. He didn't know what to look for and was nervous about going by himself, so I told him I would come." With that, she walked out the door, calling "See you later, sis!" over her shoulder.

The entire drive to the school, Jude's thoughts were on her conversation with Sadie. Rather, her thoughts were on what Sadie had told her. Should she back off a bit from Tommy? Did he want her to get her own place? Would Sam like her? Muddling her mind, the questions began to take over. Every so often, Jude would look at the directions she had jotted down that morning, making sure she was on the right roads and heading in the right direction.

Nearly ten minutes later, she pulled into the guest parking lot of Cornerstone Montessori Prep. Quickly, she got out of her car and headed into the main office, where the meeting would take place. Opening the door, she took a deep breath to clear her head. Walking in the building, she saw Tommy sitting in one of the seats, fear and anxiety obvious in his eyes.

"Babe? You okay?" 

The relief on his face was clear as soon as his eyes landed on her. He nearly leaped out of his seat at the sight of her, pulling her close in a giant hug, squeezing her tightly. "Where were you? I didn't know if you would remember. I thought maybe you wouldn't want to come." The words rushed out of his mouth while he was still holding onto her.

"Hon, calm down. I'm here now. Sadie kept me a little longer than expected, but I'm here now." She maneuvered out of his hold, and leaned back, giving him a sweet kiss on the lips. "No need to worry, okay?" At his nod, she grabbed his hand and led him back over to the waiting chairs. "How was your day?" She knew that the only way to calm him down was to get him talking about normal things.

"Fine. I had some paperwork to do at the studio and then met with Mike about your album. Apparently things aren't going as smoothly as he would like. He said that you are very stubborn." The smirk that accompanied his words was proof that he was already calming down. "We may need to look at someone else to produce your album."

"Or..." Jude had been thinking about this for a while, but wasn't sure how to broach the subject. This, however, was the perfect 'in.' "What if I produce my own album? You can help whenever you have time, but you and I both know that I can do it on my own. Besides, I like it when things are done my way."

"Oh, I know how you like things done your way." The way his voice lowered and his eyebrows wiggled suggestively instantly brought a heat to her lower belly.

Closing her eyes to regain her composure, her hand gripped his even tighter. "Babes, not here. Later." The stern glare she sent his way did nothing to quell the hint of arousal that had settled. An older woman opened the door behind the front desk and motioned for them to follow her.

Getting up, Tommy led Jude into the office, and their meeting began. An hour later, the couple walked out of the principal's office unsatisfied and thoroughly frustrated. The woman had spent half the meeting explaining their security procedures and how they dealt with children of 'celebrities' often. The second half of the meeting had been discussing the merit of the school's various academic subjects, and how the arts were not vital to a child's development. For as much as she was focused on Tommy's celebrity status, she must have forgotten what got him there.

The two left in a hurry, needing to get away from the wretched building. On the way to their cars, Tommy asked what she wanted for dinner. It was still early, but if they were going to cook, he would head to the store after hitting the studio, and meet her at home later. Deciding on chicken parmesan, they agreed to meet back at the house. Jude thought it would give her enough time to grab Sam's guitar from her favorite music store and still make it back in time to beat Tommy. She had wanted the guitar to be done before showing it to Tommy.

Thirty minutes later, she walked in the front door, using her copy of Tommy's key. The action caused her to reconsider her place here. Recalling her conversation with Sadie, Jude wondered if perhaps she should give the key back. The idea of giving it back made her heart ache, so she decided to hold on to it for now. She would start out slow and quietly, just looking at a few places online.

Setting the guitar in Sam's room, Jude grabbed her laptop and headed back down to the living room. Curling up on the couch, she opened the web browser to a local real estate site and began her search. After a solid hour of looking, she clicked on a link to a house in one of the nice older neighborhoods. Her breath caught in her chest the moment the picture finished loading. It was a beautiful white 2 story building on a half acre. There was a beautiful back yard, complete with a garden, pool, and outdoor kitchen. More, the master suite had an amazing balcony, incredible fireplace, and huge bathroom. There were three other bedrooms, a living room, amazing kitchen, and beautiful dining room that overlooked the backyard. Another fireplace was located in the living room, as well as a fire pit outisde. Everything had a Victorian flavor, but not too extreme or overbearing. It was cozy and comfortable, but elegant at the same time. She could imagine hosting a dinner party just as easily as she could picture curling up in front of the fire. There was a basement that had previously been used as a game room, but could easily be transformed into an amazing studio.

Really, it was perfect. Or at least, it would be perfect if she lived there with Tommy and Sam. The thought entered her mind so suddenly that she was surprised. It would have been a lot easier to find her own place if every place didn't conjure images of her and Tommy and Sam as a happy little family.

It was then that she realized that she was fully buying into the whole 'family' situation. Hearing the lock turn in the door, she quickly shut the screen and got up to greet the love of her life. Grabbing some of the bags from his hands, she helped to bring things to the kitchen. "Mmm, I'm glad you're back, Babe. How was the studio?"

Kissing her lightly, he responded, "Oh, it was fine. Kwest was finishing a couple of songs he wanted me to take a look at. We listened to the three songs like ten times each, but finally decided that it wasn't the songs that were the problem, it was the band. They were a four-piece set that Darius brought in on a trial, but they just won't work. Lyrics are simple, arrangements are awkward, and the guys are pigs. I think we're gonna get rid of them." Putting his lips to her forehead, he gave her another sweet kiss. "But enough about work, how was the rest of your day?" 

"Just fine. I picked something up for Sam, and I want you to see it though. Come on." She smiled, excited to show him Sam's guitar. Arriving at what would be the little girl's bedroom, Jude pushed Tommy ahead of her, putting her hands over his eyes. Walking him into the room, she turned him so he was facing the "music corner" as she had dubbed it. Still behind him, she whispered into his ear, "Look," and she removed her hands from his eyes.

His eyes opened, and she could see the surprise on his face. "Is it too much, Babe?"

He pulled her close to him, "No!" Looking back and forth between her and the guitar, his gaze eventually settled back on her. "It is absolutely perfect, Babes." Kissing her on the forehead, he continued, "I was going to get her one myself, I just didn't have time." Kissing her once more, he finished, saying, "To be honest, I think it will mean more coming from you, though."

Separating from him, she asked, "You don't think it's too girlie?" The guitar was black, but had pink flowers and green leaves etched into the pick guard. They had found out that Sam's favorite colors were black and pink, so Jude wanted to use that information. She had been so relieved that the girl didn't seem too girlie, not sure what she would have done if that were the case.

"No, hon. It isn't too girlie." Putting his hands on her hips, he drew her a bit closer. "I was serious before, its perfect." He kissed her soundly on the lips, and Jude began to melt.

Her knees almost buckled, but she still had enough of a mind to pull away. "Let's grab some dinner, and we can finish this later, okay?"

The look on his face was like that of a sad little boy who just got his favorite toy taken away. "Fine."

Hand in hand, the pair headed downstairs. Tommy stood at the stove working on a homemade sauce for their dinner, while Jude worked on washing and cutting some vegetables. With both working on the meal, the chicken parmesan was soon ready. As Tommy dished up the plates, Jude set the table, each falling into the roles they had taken on. Nearly an hour later, the meal was finished and dishes were washed; the two were sitting on the couch, enjoying a glass of wine and watching an old movie on TV.

After a while of just sitting and enjoying each others company, Tommy leaned over her and grabbed her laptop that was still on the coffee table. Jude, forgetting what she had been looking at earlier, had no qualms with him using her computer, and only asked, "What you looking at?"

"I forgot to tell you, the social worker said she would email me Sam's flight info tonight. I wanted to see when she was getting in."

"Awesome. She gets her on Saturday, right?" Jude knew that the girl was coming soon, and began a mental list of the things that should get done before she came. On top of making sure that everything was in place for Sam, Jude had to get some work done in the studio, and had to make reservations for herself and Tommy to have dinner with Kwest and Sadie. If Sam came on Saturday, that only gave her two days to get everything done.

After processing everything that needed to get done, Jude realized that Tommy still hadn't said anything. "Tommy?" He turned to face her and the look in his eyes had her worried. "What's wrong?"

Tommy maneuvered the computer so that she could see the screen. "What's this?"

Looking down, Jude was surprised to see her dream house on the screen. She had forgotten to close the browser earlier when Tommy had walked into the house earlier that evening. Though her intentions may have been good, her loves' eyes told her that he didn't understand.

"Who's house is this, Jude?"

The stern sound of his voice made her flinch. She needed to start talking...fast. "Tommy, I need you to relax." 

"How do I relax? Why were you looking at houses, Jude?"

His voice was still harsh and abrupt, so she spilled about her conversation with Sadie. After finishing what her sister had told her, she said, "I didn't know what to think."

…

"Sweetheart, did you...no, do you really think that I wouldn't want you around?" The thought that Jude would possibly leave slammed into him and knocked his world off its axis. How could she ever have a hint of a thought that he wouldn't want her here? He hadn't let her leave once since part way through the tour, let alone since being back. The night her sister stole her away from him didn't count.

As he looked at her, he could see the uncertainty in her eyes, but also love. "Hon, I love that you are here, and I love that I get to spend every night with you and see you when I wake up in the morning. Why did Sadie make you question everything?" There had to be more to Jude's reluctance than she was letting on.

She looked away from him for a moment, clearly trying to gather her thoughts. Eventually, she looked back at him and said, "I think its because she pointed out how new this is." She took his hands in hers before continuing. "As much as this thing between us seems so completely normal and right, we've only been together for a little over a week! Can you really say that you're ready to do the whole thing...being in a relationship, living together, and a five-year-old daughter on her way?"

Was that what she was really concerned about? That it was too much too fast? He had such a strong need to convince her that this was what he wanted. He wanted to spend all of his time with her. He wanted to see her when they woke up. He wanted to make music with her. He wanted her by him forever. Who cares that they had only been officially together for ten days, he knew that his life and his heart belonged to her, and they always would. Now all he needed was to convince her not to leave.

Abruptly, he stood up and raced up the stairs. He didn't think about what Jude might feel with his departure, the only thing on his mind was that top drawer in his office. Moments later, he was headed back downstairs and flopped onto the couch where his girl was sitting. She wouldn't meet his gaze, instead focusing on the fireplace, almost as if her gaze would cause it to light. Gently, he grabbed her face, bringing it to meet his gaze.

"Babe, you know that I love you, right?" At her nod, he continued. "I don't care if this is new or not, because it doesn't change the fact that I want you next to me all the time. I'm so beyond ready to go the distance with you, and I know that we'll make it. I couldn't do this whole thing with Sam without you by my side. Let's be honest, I couldn't do most things without you by my side. I still don't know how I survived in New York without you for two whole years."

The small smile on her face gave him the courage to continue. Though he was completely sure of his feelings for Jude and the fact that he would always want her with him, it was kind of an intimidating thing to ask a girl to move in. "Hon, I love you. This is me officially asking you to move in." Putting the key in her hand, he asked, "What do you say?"

The tentative smile on her face was enough for him, and before she could say a word, he swept her into his arms and kissed her with all the passion and excitement he had. She pulled away from him, a hint of uncertainty still in her eyes. "Are you sure?"

That's why she was uncertain? Oh course he was sure! Looking intently into her eyes, Tommy gave a small smirk while making sure his eyes showed the truth in his words. "Babe, you would be moving in anyways once we get married. This just means that we don't have to be apart for too long." Wiping the signature smirk off his face, he leaned closer, "I love you."

Again, he kissed her. This time, there was no hesitation or pulling back on her part. In fact, she was the first to progress things. Opening her mouth, she pressed her tongue against his lips. Granting her entrance, he groaned as her tongue found his, engaging in an intense duel, battling for control and power. Things quickly progressed, and soon her shirt was flung across the room, followed quickly by his collared shirt. Both sets of pants were unbuttoned and shoved off, each shimmying out of their own, only to return to each other as fast as possible. Left only in a lacy set of underwear, Jude got off the couch and grabbed his hand, beginning to lead him to the bedroom.

However, they didn't make it far, he couldn't go that long without holding her and kissing her and touching her. She didn't take one step up the stairs before he grabbed her, causing them both to stumble and fall onto the stairs. Not letting her get away, he reattached their lips and proceeded to rid her of the bra that was in his way and the panties blocking him from her sweet center. Her hands found his hips, nearly ripping off his boxers in her haste to have him naked.

If she wasn't such a beautiful site to behold, he would have laughed at the rushed clumsiness. But any sense of the humor was long gone, he was so entranced by her—her lips, her body, her sexiness, her scent...her. Quickly they came together, and it only took a few moments for each to find their release.

Eventually, they got up and finished their journey to their bedroom, both naked and both completely satisfied. When she curled up next to him in bed, Tommy let the smile on his face grow larger. This was perfect. He felt a sense of security knowing that she officially agreed to move in; he gave her a key! And this time is wasn't a key to check on his place or offer her a quiet place when she needed. This key was hers. Her key to their place, and that made Tommy unbelievably happy.

…

Looking around her, Jude smiled in contentment. She was surrounded by the people she loved most, drinking fabulous wine, and eating an amazing meal. She was at dinner with Tommy, Kwest, and Sadie, enjoying a last bit of normal before Sam came the next day. The past few days had been filled with last minute details in preparation for Sam's arrival. Just before dinner she had gone grocery shopping with Tommy, wanting to make sure that they had some "kid-friendly" food in the house for her.

The girl's flight would arrive the next morning, and Jude knew that they wouldn't have time to get anything else done. Now, as the dinner plates were being cleared away, Jude was filled with excitement. There was a bit of nervousness, but mostly, she was completely stoked to meet the little girl that she had already grown to love. Smiling as she overheard her boyfriend order a crème brulee and coffee for them to share, Jude slipped her hand in his. She loved that he always knew just what she wanted, and it made her heart beat a bit faster to think about what she wanted to do later.

Realizing where her thoughts were headed, she tried to stop them before a blush crept onto her cheeks and gave evidence to her less-than-innocent thoughts. Shaking her head, she re-entered the conversation, laughing at something Kwest said and teasing her sister.

With dessert and coffee finished and the bill paid, the four friends and family members stood, each couple saying goodbye to the other. Clasping one of his hands in both of hers, Jude led Tommy out of the restaurant. She had noticed a slight unease towards the end of their meal, and had seen it begin to grow. Knowing that he needed some distraction, she looked up into his beautiful blue eyes and asked, "Wanna go for a walk, hon?"

She could see a bit of tension release from his shoulders, and knew that she made the right decision. At his nod, she tuned them towards the pier. It was the perfect place to enjoy just being together without too many interruptions or too much pressure. Walking in silence for a while, Jude contemplated how things would change. Though she knew things would be different, she wasn't scared. Jude wanted the little girl to like her. She wanted to be a good influence on her. She wanted to be a good role model.

She could try to deny it, but Jude knew that one day, she wanted the little girl to look at her as a mother figure. After Tommy's comment the other night about marriage, it had constantly been at the back of her mind. She knew that being his wife was exactly what she wanted, she just hoped that the three of them could be happy together. Maybe they could eventually build their little family and she and Tommy could have kids of their own.

After allowing herself to dream of the future, Jude made herself come back to the present. Putting one arm around his waist, she looked up at Tommy and smiled. "How're you doing, Babe?"

"Honestly, a little better." Leaning down, he kissed her on the top of her head. "This was exactly what I needed to clear my head. Thank you."

Wrapping her other arm around his waist, she held him close. "Of course." After a small silence, she continued her thought. "You know she's gonna love you, right Babe?" When it came down to it, Jude knew that Tommy was most worried about whether or not his daughter would like him. She could understand his fear, but knew that it wouldn't be a problem. As soon as Sam got to know Tommy, she would love him.

When he took a deep breath, she felt his chest rise. "I hope so. I really hope so." Placing his lips against the crown of her head, he just stood there for a moment, holding her close. "I know I love you, though."

"Mmmm, I love you too Babe." Reaching her face up to him, she made a "kissy face" at him in hopes that he would return the gesture. She wasn't disappointed when his lips met hers. Soon, a heat began to seep into her, quickly filling every crevice and corner of her body. She could feel his own arousal—his erection poking her hip quite obviously.

Voice husky from want, she detached their lips and told him, "Let's go home." As much as she would have been more than happy to take him then and there, she did have some class. But if he didn't get them home quickly, she would take the wheel.

Hurriedly, the pair raced back to the car. Jude nearly tripped two different times, but it was totally worth it when they finally got home. Not a minute after pulling into the garage, the two were in their place, her shoved against the front door. Tommy could barely make it in before ravaging her. While his lips were at her throat, he hushed, "I love that you wore a dress tonight. It makes this so much easier."

After his comment, he ran a hand along her leg, stopping to hover over her center. Then, in one swift motion, her lace boy shorts were torn off. She gasped in shock, but was quickly distracted when f large and calloused finger entered her quickly. Pumping in and out a couple of times, another finger was added to further increase her pleasure. Before she got too close to a release, Tommy stopped his movements and pulled his fingers from her. It took her a few seconds to notice, having been so lost in the moment and trying to undo the clasp on his pants. Taking one finger that used to be in her, Tommy brought it to her lips. Hungrily, she clasped her lips around it, loving her own taste. Never before had she realized how incredibly erotic it was to taste yourself on your lover. That simple action brought her closer to release than any of their previous activities.

The moan that he let out drove her ever closer, and suddenly, the need to feel him overwhelmed everything in her. Pushing the slacks off his hips, Jude was delighted to discover that he had gone commando. Grabbing his rock hard erection, she pulled him closer. She nearly came when he first entered her, but held off in order to orgasm together. Not getting enough friction, Jude began to slam into him as much as she could while still being propped against the door. That was exactly what she needed, and soon she began to convulse around his throbbing shaft. They both came a moment later, grunting the other's name; Jude was glad that Tommy was still holding her up. Finally recovered enough to stand on her own, Jude untangled herself from his hold.

Smiling at her best friend and talented lover, she coerced him to bed. "We have a big day tomorrow. Let's get some sleep."

…

Looking at each of the people entering the giant room, Tommy's nerves started to get the better of him. At exactly that moment, a slightly smaller calloused hand grasped his, and he instantly calmed. Looking down at his girl, he thought about how he wouldn't have it any other way. He knew that the only one who could ever be by his side for a moment like this was Jude.

Especially after this morning, he knew that there was no other option. She was it for him. Thinking back, he smiled at the memory of that morning. He had barely been awake when she crawled onto bed in one of his button-up shirts and a guitar in hand. Before he even had a chance to speak, she began to play a sweet melody, innately happy in nature. When her perfect voice filled the room, Tommy had been stunned.

_Take time to realize  
That your warmth is crashing down on in  
Take time to realize that I am on your side  
Didn't I, didn't I tell you_

But I can't spell it out for you  
No, it's never gonna be that simple  
No, I can't spell it out for you

If you just realize what I just realized  
Then we'd be perfect for each other and we'll never find another  
Just realize what I just realized  
We'd never have to wonder if we missed out on each other now

Take time to realize, oh, oh, I'm on your side  
Didn't I, didn't I tell you  
Take time to realize, this all can pass you by  
Didn't I tell you

But I can't spell it out for you  
No, it's never gonna be that simple  
No, I can't spell it out for you

If you just realize what I just realized  
Then we'd be perfect for each other and we'll never find another  
Just realize what I just realized  
We'd never have to wonder if we missed out on each other

But, it's not all the same, no, it's never the same  
If you don't feel it to, if you meet me half way  
If you would meet me half way  
It could be the same for you

If you just realize what I just realized  
Then we'd be perfect for each other and we'll never find another  
Just realize what I just realized  
We'd never have to wonder

Just realize what I just realized  
If you just realize what I just realized  
Ooh, ooh

Missed out on each other now  
Missed out on each other now, yeah  
Realize, realize, realize, realize, oh 

Once she had finished, he had no words, and could only pull her down to the bed. They had proceeded to make out like horny teenagers, stopping when Jude's phone alarm had gone off. Tommy had been fully prepared to ignore the alarm, but it was the third one they had set to make sure they were up in enough time to get ready and make it to the airport in time. Reluctantly, they had pulled apart and actually made it to the airport a little early.

At that moment, a curly-haired little girl with wide blue eyes came into the baggage claim area, looking around the large room. Tommy knew that the little girl was his. Even if her eyes didn't match his, the way his heart clenched at the site of her was evidence enough. An arm snaked its way around his waist, and he was never more grateful for Jude's support than at that moment. In the midst of her search, the little girl's eyes landed on Tommy, and their gazes locked. This was it.

...

Cornerstone Montessori Prep is a PK—12 school located in Toronto. I have no knowledge of the school, its beliefs, academics, or practices.

Clinton Street Junior Public School and Ogden Junior Public School are both public schools located in Toronto. I have no knowledge of the schools, their beliefs, academics, or practices.

The song Jude sings in _Realize_, by Colbie Caillat.


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Even though they were standing inside the airport, both Tommy and Jude were bundled in jackets and scarves. There was just under a month left until Christmas, and the first substantial snow of the season had taken place the week prior. The tapping of his right foot hadn't stopped, and it was starting to irritate Jude. But, knowing how nervous he was, she let it go; instead, she grabbed his hand, interlocking their fingers. She felt his actions calm slightly and smiled, knowing that the simple actions had the desired effect.

They had arrived at the airport about 5 minutes before Sam's flight was supposed to land, Tommy hadn't wanted to be late. Jude had known that their early arrival meant waiting a bit longer for the girl, but if it made him feel a bit more in control, then so be it. Passengers began to stream into the baggage claim area, and Jude suspected they were from the flight Sam had been on. She began to intently search the faces of those entering the room, quickly scanning past the old men and business professionals.

The moment the dark, curly-haired little girl came into sight, Jude's heart caught in her chest, and she knew that this was Sam. The girl took a few steps closer and looked around the room, complete terror evident in her wide blue eyes and furrowed brow. Though there was an elderly flight attendant walking with her, Jude knew that Sam was basically alone, and her heart broke. How could anyone let this precious child travel with hardly any supervision? What a crock that American social service office was! Thankfully, Sam would never have to go back there.

The beautiful little girl came a few steps closer, and Jude could tell the moment that she saw Tommy. The father and daughter's eyes locked, and both were stilled in shock. Tommy hadn't moved a muscle since seeing the girl come into the room, and the uncertainty in Sam's eyes was mirrored in his own. The attendant accompanying Sam pushed her towards the couple, and Jude was only seconds from reaming the insensitive woman who was only interested in pawning off the child. However, the scared look covering Sam's face caused Jude to pause, and she instead squatted to the ground. Resting on her heels, she put a smile on her face and looked at the little girl with what she hoped were kind eyes.

"Hi, I'm Jude. You must be Sam. It is so good to finally meet you!" Jude stuck out her hand to shake the girls', but was completely surprised when the little bundle catapulted into her arms. Almost by instinct, she put her arms around Sam, not sure what else to do. After a few moments of holding the girl, she looked up to Tommy, trying to gauge what her next actions should be. He looked to still be in somewhat of a daze, the blue of his eyes clearly visible. He had just finished providing the flight attendant with some sort of identification, proving that he was the one who was authorized to take custody of the girl.

Though the attendant had already left, Tommy was still looking at her retreating figure. Jude decided that he wouldn't snap out of it on his own, so she nudged him with her shoulder, trying not to disrupt the girl currently encircled in her arms.

He looked down at her, appearing slightly startled. "What?"

With her eyes, Jude gestured to Sam. "Babe, why don't you get her luggage. I'll..." Glancing at the girl again, she finished, "just stay here." She gave him a small smile, trying to convey a bit of love and calm him slightly. As he walked away, she could in his steps that he was uncertain, confused, and unsure of how to proceed. She knew that it would be an interesting few days, but she also knew that this little girl could only bring more joy to them.

Murmuring words of encouragement to the little girl, she leaned back slightly, trying to look her in the face. "Hey, Sam?"

The brunette curls moved a bit before it leaned back. A set of eyes opened to reveal a pair of beautiful light blue orbs, sparkling with freshly shed tears.

Jude wanted nothing more than to make her smile and take away her sadness, but was unsure of how to accomplish such a goal. So, deciding that getting the girl to talk could only help, she asked, "I was wondering...what is your favorite color?" Hoping that this would start to take Sam's mind off of the crazy situation they were all in, she smiled brightly at the girl.

"I have two."

This was going to be harder than Jude had hoped, but she proceeded anyway. "Two favorite colors? Me too! What are they?"

The younger girl looked at the older girl as if she was trying to assess whether or not she could confide. "I like pink and black. I really like it when they are the together." Her eyelashes batted up and down, still looking at Jude with a question in her eyes.

"Pink and black, huh? Well then, I think you'll love your new room." She wiggled her eyes up and down, then asked, "What's your favorite food?"

The girl looked down and smiled slightly, "I think noodles are my favorite."

Thank goodness this was working. With a sense of relief, she questioned, "Chinese noodles or Italian?"

"Huh?" The confusion was clear on Sam's face.

"Do you like the noodles with red sauce and cheese on top or with vegetables?"

Eyes wide and the smile getting larger, Sam responded, "Red sauce." From her position still in Jude's arm, she leaned closer and whispered in Jude's ear, "Do you think we can eat that tonight?"

Jude could barely contain a giggle, but held it in. "Of course, Miss Sam." But, before continuing their conversation, she had a more pressing question. "Why did you whisper when you asked?" The girl shouldn't feel the need to whisper or hold back when she wanted something.

"I didn't want to be too loud. Mama never liked it when I was too loud. She would yell at me if I didn't ask her right." At her confession, Sam's eyes started to fill with tears again.

The sight of tears made Jude's heart clench all over again. How dare anyone treat a little girl like that! Placing her hands on the girl's shoulders, Jude spoke evenly and looked her right in the eyes. "Sam, you never have to worry about that again, okay?" Pulling her close in a hug, Jude continued speaking, "Whatever bad things happened when you were in New York will never happen again. Do you understand that? Your Dad and I love you very much, and we only want good things for you. If you want something, you can ask us, okay? You don't need to whisper or hide what you want. We love you." Pulling back one more time in order to look the girl in the eye, Jude emphasized her point with small kisses placed on Sam's forehead, nose, and cheek. "We...LOVE...you."

After her little speech, Jude again grasped the girl in her arms and held her close. A few moments later, the two girls separated. Jude looked at the younger girl and smiled. "Sam, what do you say we get Daddy and then go home?" She stood, stretching her legs and flexing her muscles, trying to regain feeling. Putting her hand out, she was surprised when Sam didn't take it. "You gonna come with me?"

Sam looked up at her somewhat bashfully. "Um..."

"What is it, hon?" Jude could tell that Sam wanted something, and she wanted to make sure that the girl knew she could ask for anything.

"Would you carry me?" Sam closed her eyes and cringed.

If she wasn't so completely happy with the prospect the question offered, she would have laughed at the cute face the girl was making. Bending down, she grasped Sam under her arms and picked her up, placing her on her hip. "I would love to." Kissing the girl's forehead, she said, "Now let's get Daddy."

As they headed in Tommy's direction, the girls continued to talk, Jude finding out more about Sam, and Sam warming up the Jude. Eventually, they got her bags and were headed out to the Range Rover. Tommy had bought the car the week prior, wanting to make sure they had something kid-worthy. Sam and Jude hadn't separated from each other, and Tommy could barely get a word in between the two.

Piling in the car, Jude put Sam into the car seat they had bought for her and climbed in back to be with her. She had noticed that the girl would only talk to Tommy when holding onto her, so she made sure to be close at hand. This was bound to be quite an adventure.

…

They had been driving for twenty minutes, and he had barely been able to talk to his own daughter. Looking in the rear view mirror, he smiled at his girls. It didn't matter that he had only known Sam for about an hour, he loved her. In fact, he suspected that the love began within the first few minutes he found out about her. Now that she was here, his feelings only intensified. But, because of that, he couldn't help but be a little disappointed that Sam wouldn't really talk to him.

They had only spoken a few words, the bulk of her conversation being with Jude. He was thrilled that the two were getting on so well; but saddened that his own daughter seemed to be a bit scared of him. Of course, it wasn't really that surprising considering he was a strange man as compared to the beautiful, kind, and caring woman that was his girlfriend; but he couldn't help but want his daughter to talk to him and like him too.

The rest of the drive only took about ten minutes, and before he knew it, they were pulling in to the garage at his and Jude's place. After unloading all of Sam's luggage, they left it in the entry to show her to the room they had created. Putting her hands over the girl's eyes, Jude walked her into the doorway, wanting to surprise her. On the count of three, hands were removed and the room was unveiled.

"Oh my gosh!" The girl screamed in pure joy. Tommy couldn't help but laugh at her reaction—it was exactly he had been hoping for.

"Do you like it?" he asked, wanting to be sure that she was happy.

Sam grabbed Jude's hand and looked at him shyly, a small smile on her face. "It's awesome."

Grinning like a little boy, he nodded. "Good." Walking around the room, he showed her the various features, turning to her guitar last. Picking it up in one hand, he motioned to the bed with the other. Once Sam sat down, Jude next to her, Tommy began to play the music to _Better Together_. He could see his little girl's eyes grow in size, and his heart sang with joy. His little girl liked music!

Once he finished the song, she looked between him and Jude and asked, "Will you teach me to play?"

He could only nod his agreement, to excited for words. Not only did his little girl like music, but she wanted to play...and she wanted him to teach her! This was such an amazing moment, and he wanted to savor it. He looked back and forth between Jude and Sam, but couldn't stop smiling like an idiot.

Finally, Jude told the girl, "We would love to teach you." Putting an arm around her shoulder, she continued, "Now, what do you say we head back down to get your stuff. We can unpack and then show you the rest of our home, okay?"

"Okay," was the girl's simple response. She got off the bed and led the group to the staircase. Grabbing Jude's hand to steady herself, Sam went down the stairs to her luggage. Tommy helped them gather all of the bags and delivered the to the room. After an hour, all of her things were put away, and Jude was beginning to teach the young girl a simple song. Tommy stood in the doorway, loving the sight of his girls playing music. Everything just seemed right.

As if she could read his thoughts, Jude looked up and caught his eye. As Sam continued to play, Jude mouthed, "Lunch?"

Nor surprised at her request, he only smiled and walked out of the room. A short while later he returned, letting the ladies know that lunch was ready downstairs. All three made their way to the dining room and enjoyed their sandwiches and each others company. Jude suggested a movie, and they all settled onto the couch. After the movie finished, Jude and Sam went for a walk to the playground that was only a block away. Hours later, Jude was helping him tuck Sam in by reading a story.

He was surprised when Sam asked, "Jude, will you stay with me tonight?"

"Oh course, sweetie! We'll have a girls' night. Let me go get my things and I'll be back in a few minutes, okay?"

At Sam's nod, Jude stood up, Tommy following close behind her. Stopping at the door he turned, "Goodnight, sweetheart. I love you."

He heard a faint, "you too" from Sam and smiled. She may not be quite ready to say it on her own, but that had to count for something, right?

Following Jude out of the room and into their bedroom, he asked, "Are you gonna stay the whole night?" Tommy didn't care that he sounded like a whiny little boy, he missed his girl. He hadn't really spent any time with her all day and he missed her. "Baby..."

She stepped closer to him and put a hand on his arm, "Honey, you know that we are trying to make this transition as smooth as possible for Sam, right?"

He nodded. As much as he understood, he wanted Jude with him—he didn't care that he was being selfish.

"Sweetheart," she paused, wrapping her arms around his waist. His arms immediately went around her, holding her as close as he could. Looking up at him, she continued, "Babe, I would much rather be next to you tonight. But we have to be there for Sam."

He sighed, "I know, I'm just going to miss you...and your sexy ass." With that, he gave her rear a smack. Her smile made him smile, and he gave her a sweet kiss, loving the taste of her. Before he could deepen the kiss, she pulled away. He gave her a pout, hoping to change her mind, but it did no good. "Fine, get your things and go to Sam's room for your 'girls night,' but know that I'll miss you."

"I know, Baby. Me too."

Within a few minutes, she was changed and had a few things with her and went back over to Sam's room. For the next thirty or so minutes, Tommy could hear giggles coming from the other room. He was restless all night long—tossing and turning constantly—and unable to get hardly any sleep.

When he woke up the next morning, he hoped for a better day, but was met with more of the same. Sam clung to Jude and would only talk to him when she was there. In fact, it was like that for the next couple of days. On top of being sad that Sam wasn't bonding with him very much, he was frustrated with how little time he had with Jude. It wouldn't have been so bad if she was sleeping next to him and he could hold her in his arms, but even that wasn't happening right now. Sam had only been there two nights so far, and Jude had been with her for both of them.

Tonight, Tommy was hoping to change things. He had cooked a simple pasta dish with red sauce and chicken, getting on Sam's good side. Now, he was setting up the TV for _Ratatouille_—an animated film that he happened to enjoy—which he found out was one of Sam's favorites. Jude had suggested that they have a family sleepover in the living room, and was currently pulling out blankets from the closet in the hallway. Sam was getting her pillow, and they were all to meet in the living room in about five minutes, clad in pajamas.

Jude came into the room a moment later, arms full of blankets and a couple of pillows. Rushing to her side, he grabbed some of them and helped her lay them out on the ground. They had moved the couches aside slightly, making more room for them to lay down. "How do you think this should work, Babe?"

"It would probably be best if Sam was in the middle. We can put these couple of blankets over us and that should make for a nice little bed."

With all of the blankets and pillows laid out, Tommy stretched and then pulled Jude close to him, savoring the feel of her. "Thanks for thinking of this."

She smiled at him, kissing him softly before responding. "Of course, hon. This is the perfect way for her to warm up to you a little more."

Tom sighed, "I hope so. I hate that we haven't bonded yet."

"Oh, Tommy. It may not seem like it, but she does like you. Yesterday she told me that she wanted you to teach her that song you played the other day, and just a little bit ago, she told me she was excited to have a sleepover with you too." Again, she kissed him, her actions having an immediate affect on him. "She wants to be close with you, she's just tentative."

Still holding her in his grasp, Tommy laid his head on hers, enjoying her closeness and comfort. "I know all that, its just hard. I want to be a Daddy."

"I know, Babe. You'll get there, though. This morning we were at the park and she saw another little girl with her dad. She told me that one day she would get to go to the park with her Daddy."

Separating from his girl, Tommy looked at her with wide eyes, "Really? She said that?"

"Yeah, she did. She said that she wanted to know you more, but she couldn't wait to play with you."

The sincerity in Jude's voice was clear, and Tommy could see only honesty shining in her eyes. This was only one of the many reasons why he loved the woman in front of him. She knew exactly what to say and when to say it. Only she had ever been able to calm him down...only she had ever been able to love him like he needed to be loved. Overwhelmed with love for her, he brought his face to hers and kissed her soundly. The moment their lips touched, electricity flowed.

Having not been able to really touch her for nearly three whole days, he was quick to respond. He had been in a constant state of slight arousal, and any time he was close to her, he had to make a conscious effort to keep everything in place. Now that they were alone, no matter for how short of a time, all guards were down and his erection sprang to attention. Gently, he prodded her mouth with his tongue, asking for entrance. She granted it, and soon their tongues were engaged in a fiery duel, each vying for control and power. A quiet moan escaped her lips, and his erection grew even more. He let one hand drift to her ass, cupping the perfection and pulling her flush against him. Lips still attached and bodies impossibly close, the pair was interrupted by the "eww" that came from the little girl on the stairs.

"Jude, why are you letting Daddy attack you?"

Removing her lips, Jude began to turn towards Sam, but was quickly stopped by Tommy's hands. "Babe, if you move too much, Sam will see a very obvious tent in my pants, and I don't think that now is the time to explain the birds and the bees."

She giggled, and the sound brought a smile to his face. Turning carefully and intentionally, Jude faced the girl, making sure to stay in front of him. "Sam, Daddy wasn't attacking me, he was telling me that he loved me."

Hearing her explanation made his smile grow. Jude was so good with Sam, and her words were so perfect. He kissed her cheek from behind, then moved to her ear, whispering, "I do love you...so much." He could feel her smile, and after he spoke, he could feel her shiver.

"But he didn't say anything?" The confusion was written all over her face, along with a bit of what appeared to be disgust.

Smiling, Jude again answered, "Hon, sometimes you don't need words to tell someone that you love them. Like when I give you kisses, I am showing you I love you. Does that make sense?" At the girl's nod, Jude asked, "Do you have everything you need?"

At the girl's excited nod, Jude told her to come into the living room and put her pillow down. "Now, did you go to the bathroom?"

When Sam shook her head, Jude told her to make sure she went before they started the movie. When the girl scampered down the hall, Jude turned to Tommy again. "Now, why don't you go upstairs to take care of...this..." At the word "this," she lightly grabbed his still hard erection, causing him to shudder in pleasure and surprise.

He could only nod, eyes closed, as he focused on not taking her right then and there. When she released him, he struggled across the room and up the stairs. After taking care of his large and painful issue, he went back downstairs, chuckling at the two girls giggling on the floor. Sam was trying to tickle Jude; and, even though he doubted that his daughter was really tickling his girl, she was laughing and smiling, trying to "get back" at Sam.

Joining the girls, he crawled under the blankets and grabbed the remote, turning on the movie. As they settled in, Jude sent him an air kiss, which he happily returned. After only minutes, Sam was completely engrossed, eyes riveted on the screen. Watching the movie with his girls, Tommy thought about how right this moment was. The only things that would make this more perfect and more normal was being married to Jude, and maybe to have a pet. Of course, he and Jude would marry soon enough, and as for the pet, maybe they could get a rat like Remy.

Not realizing he had said the last part out loud, he was surprised when Jude exclaimed, "No! We are not getting a pet rat!"

The laughter bubbled out of his chest, unable to contain it. Her expression was hilarious, face scrunched, eyes closed, head shaking back and forth. "Sorry, Babe. I didn't realize I said that out loud." He began to laugh again, but was interrupted by Sam.

"You like rats, Daddy?" Her eyes were wide and mouth open, and Tommy wasn't sure whether or not it was a good thing.

Deciding to just be honest, he nodded, "Yeah, I think they are kind of cool animals." He waited for her response, wanting so badly for her to agree with him, or at least not be grossed out by the thought that he kind of liked the beady-eyed creatures.

A giant smile came over her, lighting up her eyes and causing them to sparkle. "Me too, Daddy! I think they are awesome!"

Relief washed over him at her words, and he couldn't help but hug her.

"No...no. Sorry guys, but we are not getting a rat. I don't care how cute you both are, it isn't happening." Her head was still shaking back and forth.

He was about to break out in laughter again, but Sam's words stopped him. "Don't worry Jude, we'll protect you from any rats we find." Looking back at Tommy, she asked, "Right, Daddy?"

Silently, he nodded, loving the way "daddy" sounded coming out of her mouth. "Right, Sam. We'll protect Jude." While saying so, he winked at his girl, knowing that they would never be getting a rat. No matter how cute Sam was, she would never sway Jude's hate and fear of rodents.

From that moment on, Sam seemed to warm up to Tommy. For the rest of the movie, they would joke together, and once the movie finished, she even began talking to him without holding on to Jude. As they were about to fall asleep, she asked him, "Daddy, can you take me to the park tomorrow?"

His heart soared at her question, knowing that this was exactly the night they needed to bond. "Of course, Baby. I would love to take you to the park tomorrow. Let's go after breakfast."

"Okay." Turning to Jude, she offered, "You can come too, Jude."

"Oh, thanks." Though her comment could easily have been seen as bitter, one look and Tommy knew she was teasing.

"Well, now that we have tomorrow morning planned out, let's get some sleep. How does that sound, girls?"

"Perfect. I love you, Babe." Jude's response was somewhat sleepy, but it caused Tommy to grin.

"I love you too, Babe."

"I love you Daddy, I love you Jude." Sam told each of the adults.

Jude shared her love with Sam too, but Tommy was too stunned to make a sound. Tears of joy began to form in his eyes, this was the first time Sam had told Tommy that she loved him all on her own, not in response to him. Finally, words found him, "I love you too, Baby. I love you too."

…

The past week or so had been spent going to the park, watching movies, lots of laughter, and love. As cheesy as it sounded, it was true: regardless of the fun they were having, Tommy, Jude, and Sam had love. He smiled while driving, maneuvering between cars as he continued the journey to the zoo. Sam had been in Toronto for a week already, and today was their second to last adventure before real life kicked in. Tommy and Jude had both taken the week off from the studio, though both were still making progress on her album thanks to a home studio. Jude had convinced him to let her produce her own album, with help from him when time permitted.

The day after tomorrow would mark Sam's first day of Kindergarten at Clinton Street Junior Public. The couple had met with the principal the week before, trying to get more information before making a decision on where the little girl should go. After the disaster of a visit at the Montessori school, they had also checked out Ogden Junior Public. While they hadn't been overwhelmed by it, the school seemed nice and academic standards were pretty average. However, after spending some time at Clinton, they had been convinced. Not only were the academics on par with other schools in the community, but there was a wonderful arts and music program. For Tommy and Jude, that had been it—there were ways for Sam to grow beyond academics and develop a creative way to express herself, and that was exactly what the couple wanted for her. So, they had enrolled her at Clinton, where she would begin classes tomorrow.

When they had asked where Sam wanted to go on "her" day, she had immediately responded with, "The ZOOOO!" Her excitement made the decision easy, and so they were off. Though it was nearly a forty minute drive, it hadn't seemed that long at all. Sam had been telling them what animals she wanted to see and demonstrating what she thought they sounded like. At one point, she had been trying to imitate a giraffe and had Tommy laughing so hard he nearly had to pull the car over. Thankfully, he recovered pretty quickly and his eye returned to the road, negotiating the final twists in the road that led to the zoo entrance.

Finally, the group made it inside, and Tommy made sure to have the map in one hand and a camera in the other. A few days ago, Jude had suggested they start bringing a camera with them to try and catch some of these experiences on film. The very next morning he had rushed out to get one of those small digital cameras that you could take anywhere. He spent an hour at the electronics store making sure they had the best camera they could get.

Their first destination was the African Savanna exhibit—Sam had really wanted to see the giraffe to find out what kind of noises they made, but surprisingly fell in love with the hippopotamus. From there, they were off to see the rhinoceroses and leopards, making sure to visit the polar bears along the way. The camel was also a fun stop, but more-so for Tommy and Jude who were watching Sam try to mimic the mammal. She would bob her head and stick out her tongue, trying to make it as long as the camel's. One quick pass through the rodents and reptiles was enough for Sam, they completely grossed her out, evidenced by her scrunched nose and wrinkled brow. Last they were off to see the various primates—monkeys, apes, and gorillas galore! Again, Sam tried to imitate the animals, putting her hands under her armpits and making "whooping" noises. At one point, she began to beat on her chest like the big male gorilla; thankfully, Tommy was able to snap a picture of her before her actions caused her to fall backward.

When she landed on her rear, Jude was the first to her side, and Tommy couldn't help but smile at the scene in front of him. Before any tears could escape Sam's eyes, Jude had her standing up and laughing again, spinning in circles. Taking another picture, he tried to imagine how they got from imitating the gorilla to spinning in circles. But, with no obvious connection, he ignored the thought and went over to his girls.

"You okay, Sam?" The "dad" in him was coming out, wanting to make sure that she really was alright.

"I'm fine, Daddy! Did you see us spinning?"

The way her eyes sparkled brought a smile to his face and warmness to his heart. "I did, Baby! I even got a picture of my girls spinning. Wanna see?"

At the excited expression on her face, Tommy turned on the camera and clicked to where their spinning picture was. Showing it to Jude first, them Sam, he laughed at their different reactions. While his daughter loved it, his girlfriend was not so pleased.

"Babe…" she whined. Trying to grab the camera out of his hand, she continued, "I look so goofy." Trying to persuade him by sticking out her bottom lip in a pout, she also gave him "puppy-dog eyes."

However, her actions failed to convince him and he took back the camera. "But I love when you look goofy. It makes me feel better about myself." As hard as he tried to keep a straight face, her shocked expression caused another laugh to escape. He leaned down and gave her a sweet kiss—innocent and gentle, but full of love.

A tugging on his hand brought Tommy's attention back to his daughter, and he asked, "Yes, Sam?"

"Do you think we could take a picture together? All of us?"

The way she asked was precious, but the question itself made Tommy's heart literally sing for joy. His little girl wanted a family picture! "That is a great idea, Sweetie. Let me go ask an employee if they would take our picture, and you and Jude pick a place, okay?"

"Okay! Come on Jude, lets go look at that bench!" She grabbed Jude's hand and dragged her along the walkway to a bench about fifteen yards away. Tommy smiled at their retreating figures, then turned to seek out someone who might be willing to take a picture of them. Finding a zoo employee who looked to be in her mid to late twenties, he walked up to her.

But before he could ask her to take a picture, she gushed, "You're Tommy Quincy…Little Tommy Q!" Tommy cringed at the sound of his former nickname, and was further disgusted when the woman placed a hand on his upper arm. "I went to a bunch of the Boyz Attack concerts years ago and even went to a couple of your reunion shows. You are so talented, I always thought you were the most talented one. Do you have a girlfriend?" Her words came out in a jumbled mess, and he didn't know where to start or how to respond.

Simply smiling, he thanked her and turned. He would find someone else to take their picture. Unfortunately, she was quick, and grabbed his arm. "Wait…" He paused and turned, not wanting to be too much of a jerk. She continued, "Do you have a girlfriend? Hell, even if you do, I can show you a good time. What do you say?"

Somewhat repulsed, he awkwardly looked over to where Jude and Sam were waiting for him, his daughter carrying on about who knows what. Why did strange women have to remember him for who he was? He would love to forget his boy bander past and move on with his life—one filled with Sam and Jude and music. But no; women like this make him remember the man he used to be.

Regardless, he had to turn this girl down, and figured that being blunt was the best option. "Sorry, my girls are waiting for me over there."

Again, he turned to walk away, but was stopped by her. "They won't notice if you're gone for a little bit, will they?" Wiggling her eyebrows, the woman tried to appear sexy and alluring, but it did nothing for him. Now that Jude was in his life, other women just didn't have the same appeal. Besides, what kind of father would just leave their daughter while they went off for a "quickie"?

"As tempting as your offer might be, I have a beautiful daughter to get back to. But have a great day." Smiling, he turned for the final time and walked back towards his girls. He had wanted so badly to tell the woman to "get real," that he was the luckiest man in the world because he had Jude by his side. His girl had more class and beauty than any other woman, and he wouldn't do anything to mess things up. Nonetheless, he had been nice to the park employee and simply walked away. There was no need to ruffle any feathers if he could just walk away and be done with her.

Heading back towards Sam and Jude, Tommy wasn't sure who he could get to take the picture now. There was a group of tourists to his right, but they weren't speaking English or French. A little old couple was at his left, but they were so involved in each other, that he didn't want to interrupt their special moment. The only other option was a couple of guys who looked to be in their twenties standing by the bench where Jude and Sam were sitting. He would have considered asking them, but the way one of the guys was eying Jude irritated him.

Of course, she was completely oblivious to her admirer, wrapped up in what Sam was saying. As much as he trusted Jude, the attention of the other guys brought out a jealousy in him. More, it brought out uncertainty. There were still lingering questions of whether or not she really wanted this. Sure, she said that they were in this together, but did she mean it? What about when things get hard or Sam isn't darling and easy? What happens if things get stressful at the studio and then they come home together? Feeling a need to mark his territory and find some sort of reassurance, Tommy strode over to his girls, bent down, and grabbed Jude's face, bringing her into a bruising kiss.

She was the first to pull back, surprising him. "What was that for?"

"Just needed a kiss." Separating from her, he continued, "I can't find anyone to take a picture, so lets just do it on our own."

"Do it on our own, huh?"

The suggestive wiggle of her eyebrows instantly cause a reaction in his lower body. "Oh, Babe...that's for later." Lowering his voice slightly, he continued, "Later when there are not little ears so close." Standing again and moving to the other side of the bench, Tommy sat next to his daughter. "Sam, what do you say we take that picture now?"

"Yeah! Get the camera ready!"

Sam was bouncing up and down with excitement, and he couldn't hold in the chuckle. "Sam, you have to sit a little more still for the picture, okay?"

Eyes wide, she quickly said, "Oh! I'm sorry, Daddy! I'll sit very still." She crossed her ankles and put her hands on her lap.

Again, Tommy smiled. He pulled the girls close to him and yelled, "Smile!" while snapping the picture. Taking a look, he couldn't help but feel like it was probably the best picture he had ever seen. Handing the camera off to Jude so she could see the picture, Tommy kissed his daughter on the top of her head. "Is there anything else you want to see before we head out, Sam?"

"Daddy, can we just go see the giraffe again?"

Big blue eyes stared up at him in question, and he couldn't help but agree. "Of course, Sweetheart. Let's go." Standing up, he grabbed her hand and led the way to the African Savanna exhibit to visit the giraffe one more time. An hour later, the three were headed for the exit, ready to get home. They had spent nearly all day at the zoo, and Tommy was beyond ready to go home. He didn't realize how tiring it could be to spend a day at the zoo with an energetic five-year-old.

On the way home, the group made a quick stop at Tommy and Jude's favorite Thai place, figuring that would be much easier than cooking a full meal. As Tommy and Sam waited in the restaurant for their takeout to be ready, Jude was outside on her phone. Sadie had called while they were out and claimed some very important question, but Tommy had a sneaking suspicion that it wasn't very vital. Sadie had a tendency to blow things out of proportion.

Sitting in a booth close to the entrance, he was lost in his own thoughts, but was brought back to the present when Sam asked him something. "What was that, hon?"

"I said..." She rolled her eyes before continuing. "Is Jude my mommy or was Mama my mom?"

Not sure how to answer her question, Tommy decided to ask, "What do you mean?"

"Well, I used to live with Mama in New York. But now, I live with you, here in Toronto. Jude lives with us like I used to live with Mama, and Mama told me that mommies and daddies live together. So, will Jude be my mommy?"

For a minute, he didn't think about her question, but only considered her logic. The girl was pretty brilliant, especially for only being five! A faint, "Well, Daddy?" entered his thoughts, and he refocused on her question.

Does he tell her the truth? How much will she understand? Will she get that Jude isn't her real mom, but she'll act more like a mom than Angie ever did? Will it make sense that Jude is living with them, but that she isn't Sam's mom? Should he even go there? How do you explain love to a five year old? If he started to tell Sam that he loved Jude, would he have to start talking about sex?

Deciding to keep things simple, Tommy explained, "Sam, Jude is just Daddy's best friend. She's going to be living with us because she wants to hang out with you and get to know you better. Does that make sense?" He pushed aside the hint of unease that developed after he finished speaking. It's not like Jude could hear anyways, right? In reality, she would have a much better answer to Sam's question, but the uncertainty from before was creeping back in. Maybe if he downplayed what he shared with Jude it wouldn't be so bad if she decided to leave?

"I guess so." There was a glimpse of sadness in Sam's eyes, but it quickly disappeared when she spotted who Tommy assumed would be Jude. Turning, he saw the normally bright blue eyes of his girlfriend looking a bit guarded and dull. He briefly wondered if her conversation with Sadie had not gone well, but those thoughts were interrupted by the older man at the counter calling his name signaling that their food was ready.

Getting up, he grabbed the bag and gave the man a tip, ushering his girls out of the restaurant. On the way home, he was a bit stunned by the silence in the car. Sam was in her booster seat on the verge of falling asleep, and Jude was looking out the window. Since grabbing the food, she hadn't said a word to him, and he again questioned what had made her talk with her sister so awful.

The three got back to the apartment and quickly grabbed plates for their food. The meal was finished in relative quiet, all parties lost in their own thoughts. Tommy was stunned when Jude grabbed her purse and headed for the front door after putting their dishes in the dishwasher.

"Where are you going?" He thought they would tuck Sam in and curl up and watch a movie before heading to bed. Tomorrow would be their last chance to be together before getting into the routine of normal life. They had to get a few last minute supplies before school on Monday, but other than that Jude thought it would be nice to spend the day relaxing together. But now, Jude was leaving their place. It was almost eight and he had no idea where she would be off to at this point.

"The studio." Her answer was short and to the point.

Tommy was now thoroughly confused. Why would she go to the studio when they had one here? And more, why was she being so evasive? "Why not just work on things here?"

"Needed some space to get perspective, you know?" Again, a short answer, not providing much more than the basics.

"I'll see you later, I guess?" Tommy asked uncertainly. Would she be back in an hour, a couple of hours?"

"I'll text you if I'm going to be past midnight." With that, she went over to Sam and whispered something in her ear before kissing her on the forehead. "I love you, Sweetheart. I'll see you later, okay?"

Tommy smiled at the girl's words that followed, "Okay. I love you too, Jude"

Jude smiled at his daughter, but her expression turned blank when she turned to him. "Later," was all she said before walking out the door.

_What the hell had just happened? _Deciding that a bit of space would do her some good, he went over to his daughter and picked her up, tickling her as a way to take his mind off of Jude's strange behavior. They could talk when she got home. As much as he wanted to believe that her strange mood was due to something Sadie had said, intuition told him it was more than that.

…

Sitting in the studio, head in hands, Jude let the tears escape. Had she really thought that they would be a happy little family? Was she kidding herself that they could go from friends to dating to a family so easily? She should have realized it was coming after his meltdown after talking to Kwest a couple of weeks ago. This was just reality kicking in. It wasn't love, they had just been caught up in the moment. He would always be her best friend, but who were they kidding trying to make some relationship work, especially with a kid thrown in the mix.

With those feelings and frustrations racing around in her head, Jude grabbed her guitar from the corner of the room. She began to strum along with the Patsy Cline classic _You Were Only Fooling_. The words held so much truth to what she was feeling right now, "You were only fooling me when I was falling in love." The tears continued to fall off of her face, some landing on her skin, others making their way to the floor.

After continuing to play the song a few times through, Jude stopped. In an instant, her feelings, frustrations, heartbreak, and hope had formed words, and those words needed to escape. She grabbed the notebook that was always close at hand, and searched for the Sharpie® she used to write lyrics. She loved the permanence it held, the story it told through the lyric and chord variations. The words that were crossed out and changed spoke of the journey it took to get to the final song, one that was usually powerfully honest. That same honesty was present now, as with any great heartbreak there was the possibility for great inspiration.

She still held a hope that Tommy hadn't meant his words to Sam, that their confessions of love were genuine and real. She truly desired to be with Tommy—be by his side through the good and bad times. She needed him to be near her, his absence was always felt. In this moment, she felt every inkling of hurt he caused her, but it was like a splinter—irritating under her skin, but loving the intimate closeness. But, it was as if he was so close to her that she wasn't sure where she ended and he began.

Close to midnight she sat back and looked at the notebook pages that were filled with honesty, hurt, desire, and love. Deciding to go over the song one final time, Jude grabbed a sip of her water and then began to play.

_Where she walks, no flowers bloom  
He's the one I see right through  
She's the abscess on my lip  
The splinter in my fingertip_

But who could do without you?  
And who could do without you?

She the sea I'm sinkin' in  
He's the ink under my skin  
Sometimes I can't tell where I am  
Where I leave off and he begins  


_But who could do without you?  
And who could do without you?_

Oh, we're a pretty, pretty pair  
Yes, we are  
All, all the king's horses  
And all of his men  
Couldn't tear us apart

Dancing with a ball and chain  
Through it all we still remain  
Butterflies around the flame  
Till ashes, ashes, we fade away

Sighing, she released some of the strain of the emotion that had been weighing her down. As painful as some songs were to write, once they were finished there was always a sense of freedom. As much as the words hurt, they were true: who could do without Tom Quincy? Jude resigned herself to the reality that she could not do without him. She needed him. She would figure out whatever was going on to make him call her only a "best friend;" and in the end, they would come out of it okay—whether as best friends or still in a relationship.

The sound of hands clapping startled Jude out of her reverie, and she quickly turned to see who was intruding on her private concert. Surprised, she found that she was looking at her brother in law, Kwest. "What are you doing here?"

He shrugged his shoulders before answering, "Honestly, your sister was driving me insane. These pregnancy hormones will be the death of me!"

She laughed, knowing how Sadie could be. She had always been dramatic, but it was true, the pregnancy was making her even more emotional and crazy. "What did she do this time?" If nothing else, at least hearing about her sister's actions would give her a laugh.

Kwest told her how Sadie was looking at wedding pictures and all of a sudden got really mad at him. When he asked what was wrong, she told him he should know, "but why would you waste our money when it should have been for the baby?" At that point, Kwest was completely confused, but knew better than to ask more questions. Instead, he told her how sorry he was, thinking that would be the end of it. But no! With Sadie, there had to be more to it. She had leaped off of the couch and threw the wedding album at him, nearly hitting him in the head. Apparently missing her target, she then threw her cup at him, thinking it was empty, but was surprised when the little bit of hot cocoa at the bottom went everywhere. Of course, she blamed Kwest for the spilled drink, but when he offered to clean it up, she yelled that he wasn't grateful for all the things she did around the house. Knowing there was no winning in this battle with Sadie, he grabbed his wallet and keys and told her that he would be back later with mint chip and pistachio ice cream and the cereal she liked with those mini marshmallows. Instead of thanking him, Sadie had yelled, "when you get back you'll be cleaning up this mess you made _**and**_ you'll be sleeping on the couch! Just be glad you're bringing me ice cream and cereal or I would send you to Tommy's place!"

Jude was nearly rolling on the floor when she heard what her sister had told Kwest. She could just picture her face, red and puffy from anger, eyes glaring with anger. "You're right! She is crazy!" Getting up from the ground, she moved to the comfortable couch that sat behind the sound board. "Wanna join me?"

"Sure, thanks." Moving closer to her, he sat on the opposite side of the couch and placed his feet on one of the chairs. Leaning back, he asked, "Why are you here?"

Regardless of the fact that she would probably end up telling him everything, Jude played dumb and asked, "What do you mean?"

"Nice try, Jude. I know that you and T have taken the past week off to spend time with Sam, and I also know that you guys have been getting some work done at the studio he has in-home. Anything you need to record can be done there and there isn't anything you are on a deadline for at this point. So again, why are you here?"

A pointed look from Kwest caused her to sigh. "Fine, it isn't like you won't find out eventually." Leaning back and putting her feet up, Jude's position now mimicked his. She began to tell him about the things they had done with Sam over the past week and how much she loved that little girl. She got into their trip to the zoo, and explained all of the antics that Sam had been up to—imitating the different animals and such. Eventually, she got to the fateful words Tommy said that had led to her current confused state. "He said that I was his best friend and the only reason I was living there was to hang out with Sam. I almost lost it when I heard him, but didn't know what to say. He didn't know I was standing behind him, so its not like the words were for my benefit." She closed her eyes, the emotional strain from recounting the day's activities wearing on her. "Anyways, we got the food and went home. Since we were all a bit tired, we didn't talk much at dinner, and then I left. I just couldn't stay there so unsure of what was going on."

After a few moments of silence, Kwest spoke, "So how do you feel?"

Leave it to Kwest to ask the hard questions. Jude didn't know how she felt, and she told him so. "Honestly, I don't really know. I'm confused because I thought what we had was so real. I'm hurt because, if what he told Sam is how he really feels, then he's been lying to me for the past few weeks. I'm sad because I miss him. I've only been gone for a few hours, and I miss him! I'm angry because I miss him and I feel so lost without him next to me. And I feel pathetic because I am so dependent on someone who I have only really been dating for about two weeks." She stood again, and began pacing the room. She wasn't sure what to do or where to go, but restlessness had begun to set in.

"Where does that leave you guys?" Again, it was Kwest with a hard question.

"I don't know." Shoulders shrugged as she continued, "Its not like I can stop loving him. I mean, I was in love with the guys for years and he wasn't even in the same city. One little issue like this isn't going to change that. But, if none of this was real, I don't know what to do." Looking directly at her brother in law and close friend, she let a bit of her desperation shine through. "What can I do? Even if the past couple of weeks was a joke or some failed experiment, he'll still be my best friend. Besides, he'll need help with Sam until he finds some other woman." At those words, her throat clenched. The thought of Tommy with another woman made her want to cry. Trying to regain a bit of composure, she took a large gulp and continued, "And let's be honest, I already love that little girl."

Kwest looked up at her somewhat surprised. "I didn't realize how much you cared about her." Standing up, he walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her. "Not that it isn't great, but why _do_ you care so much?"

Laughing, she couldn't help but smile at the thought of the precious little girl that had already worked her way into the depths of her heart. "I can't help it. When Tommy first told me about her, I couldn't wait to meet her. The more we designed her room and put things together and checked out schools, the more I wanted to meet her. When I saw her at the airport, she grabbed ahold of my heart. Since then, I couldn't help be love her. I even thought about how great it would be if..." Looking down, she thought about what she really meant. She thought about how great it would be if Sam was hers and Tommy's. Jude knew that it was wrong to think that, but it was true. She wanted Sam to be hers because she wanted to be tied to her. She wanted to be her mom.

It was as if Kwest knew exactly what she was going to say, and pulled her into a tight hug. It was comforting, but not as much as it would have been coming from Tommy. Trying to push thoughts of him aside and lighten the mood a bit, Jude pulled back from Kwest and asked, "Shouldn't you be getting back to your moody wife, right about now?"

He chuckled, "Yeah, I probably should." He hesitated before asking, "Why don't you join me? Come back to our place and crash for the night. I guarantee our couch is more comfortable that this studio."

Liking the idea of staying with the closest family she had—other than Tommy—Jude grabbed her purse. "That sounds great. Do we need to stop at the store?" She knew that Sadie would not be happy if her ice cream and cereal was forgotton.

"No, it's actually waiting in the car. With it being so cold, the ice cream should still be frozen."

"That's kind of awesome." As she began to pull her keys out of her purse, the thought of driving seemed utterly exhausting and overwhelming. "Hey Kwest?" She was unsure how he would feel about taking her home.

"What's up, superstar?"

"Do you think you could take me home? I really don't feel like driving right now."

"Of course! We can grab your car whenever. It should be fine here. Let's go."

The pair were off and arrived at the door of Kwest and Sadie's home only fifteen or so minutes later. Ice cream and cereal in hand, they walked through the door, Kwest calling out, "Honey, I brought you a visitor!"

Noises came from upstairs, and a moment later, Jude saw her sister coming towards them. "Jude!" she exclaimed. "What are you doing here? What did Tommy do now?"

_Wow_! Jude thought. Her sister knew her well! Nonetheless, she didn't want to talk about it any more tonight. "Later, Sades. Let's go to sleep and I can tell you all about it tomorrow, okay?"

Sadie watched her for a moment as if trying to asses whether or not she'd be okay. Deciding that the following day would be soon enough, she said, "Fine. I'm going to bed. Love you, sis." Turning to Kwest, she asked, "Would you bring some ice cream up stairs?"

Smiling, Kwest held in a laugh and simply said, "Sure, Babe. Mint chip and pistachio with cereal on top?"

"Perfect. Thanks." She turned and headed back up the stairs without a second look.

Kwest went into the kitchen while Jude went to the couch and set down her bag. She grabbed a blanket from the back of the couch and sat down, throwing the blanket over herself. Trying to get comfortable, Jude tossed and turned a few times before realizing that there would be no hope of being as comfortable on this couch as she would be in Tommy's bed. Thoughts of Tommy began to fill her mind, and she was unable to push them away.

However, Kwest interrupted her racing mind, saying, "You know he's an idiot, right Jude?"

She nodded, knowing that her brother was only trying to help. Regardless of his good intentions, Jude wasn't sure if he was right this time.

He sat down next to her and put the ice cream on the coffee table. "I'm serious, Jude. He is an idiot for not telling Sam the truth…and we all know the truth is that you guys are made for each other. Give him a night to realize what a fool he is for saying that, and tomorrow he will be at the door begging for you to come home."

"But what if he isn't?" The question was faint, but it was obvious that Kwest still heard it.

"He will be. But, if for some reason he isn't, its because he got abducted by aliens." Smiling at her, he finished, "Jude, you know the guy is head over heels for you. He even…"

His words trailed off and Jude knew that he was hiding something from her. But, whether it was because it was already nearly one o'clock in the morning or because she was emotionally drained, she didn't care. "I hope you're right," was all she said instead. Watching Kwest leave and head upstairs, Jude thought about what he said. Would Tommy be there tomorrow morning? Would he even care that she was gone? Would he still let her be a part of Sam's life?

The stream of questions was continuous, and Jude knew it would be a long night. Ultimately, she wondered if her relationship with Tommy would ever work. If not, she guessed it was better to know now rather than be surprised by it later, when she had fallen harder for him. She realized that she was probably over-reacting a little bit, but the anxiety of going back to being "best friends" with him was real. She loved Tom Quincy…and she had been loved by him. If she had to "forget" that, Jude knew that her heart would be broken.

But, given the choice between having been loved by Tom Quincy or not, she would choose love every time. To feel the way he made her feel would be worth it every time. She just hoped he felt the same.

…

Clinton Street Junior Public School and Ogden Junior Public School are both public schools located in Toronto. I have no real knowledge of the schools, their beliefs, academics, or practices.

The song is _Birds of a Feather_ by the Civil Wars. If you haven't heard them, check them out…they are pretty fantastic


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

He had barely gotten any sleep the whole night, tossing and turning constantly. He couldn't seem to get used to the empty bed, and he was constantly surrounded by the knowledge that things weren't right. While putting Sam to bet the night before, she had asked where Jude was, and it was then that he began to really worry.

Of course, he had known that Jude was upset when she left. As she had walked out the door, he could sense the tension radiating off of her and tried to consider what had set her off. Thinking back, he realized that she had started acting funny after her phone call with Sadie—not really responding to him, being distant, and just "off." He was about to call Sadie up to figure out what she had done when Sam asked him to sing to her.

Knowing that he could never say no to her, he simply asked what she wanted to hear. When she said "I Just Wanted Your Love." Thinking he couldn't have hear her right, he asked her, "What song?" and was rewarded with the same answer. She couldn't possibly have heard that song; hell, he hadn't even heard it! The only reason he even knew about it was because he had snooped in Jude's notebook. She, not surprisingly, caught him, and he begged her to tell him about it. She had agreed so long as he gave her a foot massage. From there, she had confessed that the song was about him. She had written it after getting back from a weekend visit to see him. They had gone to some club and in his drunken state one night he had started getting handsy with some floozy. She had been doing such a good job of "getting over him," but seeing him with some other woman brought all of the feelings back, and jealousy took over. She had gone back to her hotel and hopped on a flight back to Toronto, writing the song on the plane.

A small, "Daddy..." had entered his mind and interrupted his memory. He apologized and ended up singing something else to her before putting her to bed. As he was walking out of her room, he asked her, "Sam, why did you ask me to sing that song?" She told him that Jude told her to. Thinking his daughter might have more insight as to why Jude left, he asked, "What else did Jude tell you, Baby?"

She confessed that Jude told her she might be gone for a little bit, but that she loved Sam very much. "Jude said that you wouldn't miss her too much because she was only your best friend."

At her words, he had hardly been able to breathe. Jude must have overheard him when he was talking to Sam at the Thai food place. He turned to leave Sam's room, but before shutting the door, her voice stopped him. "Daddy, Jude is my best friend too. But I love her too, just like I love you. Goodnight Daddy."

He had wished her a good night and went straight to his own room. His own empty and lonely room. It had only been about nine by the time he had gotten ready for bed, but he was completely exhausted. His thoughts were with his girl, wondering how she was. If Jude really did hear his words to Sam, he knew that she would be hurt. She had to know on some level that what he said wasn't true, but he couldn't imagine how frustrated she would be. Most frustrating for him was the fact that he didn't even mean his words. This whole situation was proof that honesty is always the best policy.

Knowing how stubborn his girl could be, he decided it would be best to let her calm down a bit before confronting her about things. She was too important to him, and he wouldn't let her walk away that easily. With that, he had rolled over and tried to fall asleep. Unfortunately, he was still awake hours later, thinking of Jude and thinking of how he missed her. At half past six he finally got up, realizing further attempts at sleep were futile.

Grabbing a fresh cup of coffee and going into their at-home studio/office, Tommy was instantly assaulted with Jude. Her scent, her aura, her essence was all around him, invading every one of his senses. Quickly, a brick of despair developed in the pit of his stomach, he needed his Jude. Taking a deep breath, he pushed aside that thought and continued into the studio. Sitting at the sound board he slipped on the headphones and listened to the version of _Better Together_ he had been working on. For a little while, he was lost in the music, but an hour or so later, he couldn't take it any more. Grabbing his phone, he called Jude on the off chance that she would answer.

He was completely shocked when her phone was picked up, but less surprised when he realized it was Kwest on the other end of the line. "Hey, man. How are you holding up?"

Tommy wondered how much his friend knew. But, before he could say anything, Kwest spoke again. "Before you try to play things off as just fine, I know they aren't okay. I saw Jude last night and she is currently tossing and turning on our couch. Why were you such an idiot?"

He couldn't help but laugh at his friend's question. It was so like Kwest to come right out and ask the honest question. It was one of the things he admired most about his friend, but also one of the most annoying things. "Honestly, Kwest, I don't know. Sam asked me if Jude would be her mom and I panicked. I didn't know what to say and I didn't know how much to tell her. I thought that if I told her that I loved Jude I would have to start talking about relationships and marriage and families and sex and I went crazy. I did the easy thing and just told her that Jude is my best friend and that she wanted to get to know Sam."

"Oh, T." A sigh from the other end of the line could be heard. "I know that you're new at this whole parenting thing, but really? Why couldn't you just tell the girl that Jude is special and you love her?"

"Sure, I could have said that, but what about the "mommy" question?" Tommy truly didn't know how to address that part of Sam's quandaries.

"Well, did Sam want Jude to be her mom?"

"I don't know." How was he supposed to know?

"That probably would have been a good place to start, dude. You should have asked." 

"Oh," was Tommy's only response. How was it that Kwest made things seem so easy? This drama could have easily been avoided if he just asked Sam what she wanted. But, Jude hadn't been perfect either—she ran away. If she ran away now, what would she do if things really got hard or they had a real fight? His mind began to race at the prospect of what could go wrong.

After a long silence, Kwest's voice came through, "Tom? You still there?"

"Yeah, man. Sorry."

"No worries. What else is on your mind. You are being far too quiet over there."

Again, he was reminded of how well Kwest knew him. "Honestly, I'm a little angry at her. I mean, she ran away. She didn't come and talk to me about it and she just left. I don't know how to react to that." And it was true, he was confused. Tommy wasn't sure whether he was really allowed to be angry, or even what Jude's response should have been.

"Its okay to be a little angry, Tom. And, as much as you were an idiot, I agree with you: she shouldn't have run away or left without talking about it. But, you know how emotional she can be. And let's be honest, this is something that has been years in the making. She knew that she had feelings for you for a long time. Even though you just got it through your thick head that you loved her, I think she always knew. So, while you were off having fun adventures with other women, she was thinking about you and feeling like the best friend who got left behind. No, she didn't handle things well, but neither did you." He paused briefly, and then asked, "So what are you going to do about it?"

"The only thing I can do: talk to her." Taking the last gulp from his coffee mug, Tommy stood before continuing. "I can be over there in about thirty minutes. Make sure she doesn't leave?"

"For sure, T. But honestly, its only like 8:30. How often does Jude wake up before eleven when she doesn't have to?"

Tommy couldn't help but smile at his friend's question. It was true, Jude loved her sleep. Given the chance, she would sleep in every morning. But, work and a kid in the house would not allow that. And, Tommy knew that, when she was stressed out about things, Jude didn't sleep well and would wake up much earlier than normal. "I know, I know. I'll be there soon."

"No problem, man. I assume Sam will be with you too, so just send her upstairs when you get here."

"Thanks, Kwest. You're awesome, man."

"I know. You can repay me later."

"You know I will. See you soon." Tommy hung up the phone and stuck it in his pocket on the way to Sam's room. He wouldn't make her get dressed, but he had to at least get her up and in something a bit warmer since it was December. Kissing his little girl's forehead, he called her name softly. "Sam, honey? Wake up, Sweetie."

Another few tries and Sam's eyes opened in slits. "Daddy, no. More sleep." She rolled over and Tommy couldn't help but chuckle. She could easily be Jude's daughter based on sleeping patterns alone.

Finally, Tommy was able to rouse his daughter enough to put a jacket on her and slip a pair of sheepskin boots on her feet. Carrying her down to the car, they were off. Shortly they arrived at Kwest and Sadie's place. After gathering Sam, he walked straight in the front door, thankful that it was open. He told Sam to go upstairs to hang out with her Uncle Kwest, and headed for the living room. Seeing the love of his life laying on the couch, obviously uncomfortable, his heart clenched a bit. He had missed her so much, and just seeing her calmed him slightly. Bypassing the living room for a moment, he went to the kitchen and got a couple cups of coffee, knowing that Jude would require it if he wanted her to be coherent.

Coffee in hand, he sat down on the couch in the crook formed by her knees and chest as she was lying on her side. After putting the hot mugs on the table, he began the challenging task of waking up Jude. Many attempts later, eyes were opened and the beautiful girl in front of him began to sit up. Five minutes and a cup and a half of coffee later, Jude was awake enough to hold a conversation, so Tommy started in.

Now that they were sitting side by side on the couch, he took her hands in his own. "I love you." His eyes bore into hers with honesty and sincerity, making sure that she understood how serious he was. "You are the love of my life and my soul mate. I am completely lost without you. I need you by my side forever." Taking one hand from hers, he placed it on the side of her cheek. "Do you believe me?" At her nod, he shook his head. "No, Jude. I need to hear you say it. Do you believe me?"

"Yeah, I do. You know I love you too, right?"

He could see the truth reflecting in her eyes, and it was one of the most comforting things he had ever laid eyes on. "Yeah, Baby, I do." He couldn't help himself and leaned close to her, gently placing her lips against hers. A moment later he pulled away, knowing that they still had to talk about a few things. Before he could get a word in, Jude spoke up.

"I'm sorry!" she exclaimed. "I know that I get too emotional sometimes and I know that I'm stubborn and I know that I jump to conclusions. I know that you love me and I love you so much too. Other than music, you and Sam are my world! I'm sorry I ran away, I just..." She shrugged her shoulders and looked to the ground. "I started to freak out and I felt kind of suffocated. I needed to get away." Looking back up at Tommy, her eyes caught his. "I'm sorry."

Tommy hated that she was beating herself up over this, especially when it was his mistake that started it all. "I know, babe. I know." He captured her lips in a kiss, quickly being overwhelmed by a need to be closer and deeper inside her. Their tongues battled each other, his hands tangled in her locks, and her fingers played with the hair at the nape of his neck. Lungs burning with need for air, he once again pulled away from Jude. After a few moments he had his breath back and said, "I know why you felt like you had to go, and I get why you were upset." At her nod, he continued. "Baby, I love you, but we have a family now. When something goes wrong, we have to talk about, not run away from it." Tommy put a hand to her cheek, caressing it softly, loving the feel of her smooth skin beneath his callused fingers. "I just got you, I'm not letting you run away any time soon."

"Don't ever let me run away again. We're in this together...forever."

A heat entered his eyes and his gut as he affirmed, "Forever," and wrapped his arms around her. Their lips attached and the war between tongues raged on. Before long, he had her stretched out on the couch beneath him, one hand still locked behind her head, the other roaming over her body, sliding over a breast, resting on her hip. Just as he was about to explore lower areas of her incredibly arousing form, a small, "Jude!" stopped all actions.

The pitter-patter of feet got louder as Sam made her way down the stairs. Tommy scrambled off of Jude, trying to right his clothes, and in the process, laughed at his girl who was trying to do the same. Just in time, her blouse was buttoned and Sam launched herself into the older girl's arms. Tommy could see the tears threatening to fall from her eyes, excited to have Sam back in her arms.

The little girl continued to hold onto to Jude as if her life depended on it, but her small voice came out, "Jude, I missed you so much last night. Where were you?"

Tommy's own eyes began to get watery at the reunion of the two most important women in his life. He smiled when Jude responded to his daughter, "Oh, Baby. I'm so sorry. I had something to do. But I promise, I will never, _ever_ leave you like that again, okay?" After receiving a nod from Sam, she looked up at Tommy who nodded as well. Putting his arms around both girls, he smiled, feeling a sense of completion for the first time since last night.

A few minutes later, the tears had been wiped away and Sam was seated securely in between him and Jude, telling them about what she wanted to do for their last day before going back to "real life." Tommy's arm was around his daughter and his fingers were caressing Jude's shoulder. He enjoyed just being with them…together…as a family. This was how it should always be.

Eventually, Sam quieted down and Tommy took the opportunity to get a few things straight. "Sam, do you remember when we talked yesterday when we were waiting for our food?" She nodded, eyes looking a little droopy from being tired. "Remember how I told you that Jude was Daddy's best friend and that she was staying with us so that she could get to know you better?" Again, the little girl nodded, this time picking up Jude's hand and holding it in her own. "Well, you need to know that its more than that. I love Jude very much, just like I love you very much. She lives with us because we love each other, not just because she wants to get to hang out with you."

Jude spoke up before he could get another word in, "Sam, I love you and your dad so much that I don't want to ever be far away from you. I'm truly, deeply sorry for leaving yesterday. I cannot tell you enough how much I love you." She put her hands to the little girl's face and kissed her forehead; then bending down so their foreheads were touching, Jude continued to whisper words of love and encouragement to Sam.

Tommy thought that the vision in front of him was pretty perfect. Once he was sure that Jude was finished reassuring Sam that she was loved and taken care of, Tommy spoke. "Girls, what do you say we go home and watch movies and play all day long?"

Though a bit of tiredness was still evident in Sam's eyes, they lit up and got wide with excitement. "Really, Daddy?" At his nod, she jumped off the couch and tried to pull him with her. When he didn't move, the girl turned to Jude. "Help me get him up, Jude!" They laughed at her insistence, and finally agreed, standing and walking toward the door. From the top of the stairs, Kwest waved goodbye, and then they were off.

It didn't take long for them to get back home, and the first thing Jude did was head to her and Tommy's room to change. Seeing where she was headed, he sat Sam in front of the TV and told her to watch some cartoons, he was going to help Jude. She nodded her agreement sleepily, her eyes already starting to droop, and Tommy was off. Quickly, he ran up the stairs and smirked at the pieces of clothing that littered the floor on the way to their bathroom. He heard the shower running and smiled, this was even more perfect than he had hoped. Ridding himself of his clothes, Tommy quietly opened the door to the shower, and climbed in.

A flustered "Oh!" came out of Jude's mouth as his hands snaked around her waist under the scorching water. She turned to face him, but when he was faced with her a full view of her front, his mouth dried and his eyes widened. He would never cease to be amazed by how incredibly sexy she was. It literally took one look at her and he was hard, one glimpse of her naked and he was close to gone, her standing naked and wet and it was hard not to lose it instantly. He sprang to attention, causing her eyes to go wide at the involuntary action. Without waiting for her to say anything, he grabbed her hips and pulled her flush against him.

His tongue invaded her mouth immediately, thrusting inside and taking over. One hand stayed on her hip, the other made a trail up her back and grasped onto her neck, holding her close. The water continued to pour over them, heightening all of Tommy's senses. Minutes later the pulled apart, the need for air taking over.

Leaning back slightly, Jude asked, "What about Sam?"

The way her brow crinkled in worry brought a smirk to his face, "Don't worry about that. She's watching Sunday morning cartoons and will be occupied for at least another half hour." He pulled her face closer with the hand still on the back of her neck and whispered, "Now, where were we?" His lips trailed light kisses down her neck, causing her to shiver in what he knew was desire and want. The hand that was on her hip moved quickly to her perfect ass, squeezing and pulling her closer. Without warning, she jumped up, wrapping her long legs around his waist.

Thankfully, he was able to support her, putting her back against the stone tile that enclosed the shower. She gasped from the coldness of the natural stone, but quickly reclaimed his mouth and thrust her tongue inside. She moved her hips to rub his throbbing erection against her center, not letting him enter her fully. This quickly became too much for him and he growled, "Jude, let me in!"

"Fine!" was breathlessly yelled back at him by the soaking woman in front of him.

He could barely respond, his need for her so great. In a swift motion he entered her, groaning in pure pleasure as he felt her surround him fully. Bracing himself, Tommy pulled all the way out and thrust back in. His movements continued, becoming more erratic by the second. Leaning his forehead against the stone, he began to suck on Jude's neck, needing to taste her and mark her as his own. He could feel her begin to convulse around his throbbing member, and he sped up slightly to bring her over the edge. They came at the same time grunting the other's name.

Tommy pulled Jude away from the shower wall, letting her feet fall to the ground. He soon realized that the water was beginning to turn cold, so he fiddled with the knobs to bring the heat back up. "Let's finish up and spend a day with our girl."

The smile Jude rewarded him with was brilliant—honest, sincere, and full of joy. "That sounds perfect...our girl."

Tommy smiled in return, giving his girl a sweet kiss before grabbing the shampoo. "Want some help?" At her nod, he put some of the liquid in his hand and proceeded to wash her hair. Fifteen minutes later, both were thoroughly cleaned. Quickly drying off and putting on some sweats, they joined Sam in the living room just as an episode of her favorite cartoon was finishing. They spent the rest of the day lounging around their place, watching movies, playing music, ordering take out, and truly enjoying being together. Tommy truly felt at peace with how things were in his life.

…

For the past few weeks, things had seemed to be pretty normal. For Jude, life consisted of chauffeuring Sam to and from school and continuing work on her album. Tommy was busy running things at the label, but in his free time he could always be found in the studio with Jude. Her album was coming along well, scheduled for release in March.

Sam was currently chasing after Spied in the lobby of G Major since her Christmas break had started a few days prior. She had grown surprisingly close to him, Wally, and Kyle after spending so much time with them after school. Today, Jude was finishing up a few things before heading for home with the little girl. It would be their third "girls' night" and they had plans to watch _Aladdin,_ eat ice cream, and decorate the tree. Tommy was in Los Angeles until the 24th—the day after tomorrow—meeting with investors and potential artists for the label. Though she got to talk with him at least five times a day, it wasn't the same, and Jude missed him terribly. She was having an amazing time with Sam, but it just wasn't the same without Tommy there too.

The first day he was gone, the girls had just hung around their place, hitting the park and going on a walk. Yesterday, she and Sam had gone shopping for the last minute Christmas presents. They went to some of Jude's favorite stores, buying a pair of Brian Atwood heels for Sadie, an awesome set of turntables for Kwest, an old Beatles record for Stuart, and a set of platinum cuff links for Darius. No presents had been purchased for her best friends and current back-up band, SME. For years she joined Spied, Wally, and Kyle in a Christmas movie marathon to suffice as their present to each other. Tommy was easiest to shop for—she had ordered the 2011 Ducati 848 Evo weeks before, and Kwest would be bringing the bike by in a bit when he and Sadie came to help "Christmas-ify" the house.

Walking in the door to their home nearly thirty minutes later, Jude told Sam to get her pajamas on so that they could start relaxing. Shortly thereafter, both girls were in flannels and t-shirts, ready to decorate the tree and get to their ice cream. A knock on the door alerted Jude to the arrival of her sister and brother-in-law. Ushering them in quickly, they got to work, putting lights and ornaments on the tree and garland on the stair banister. Little knick-knacks were placed around the house and candles were lit giving the house a homey feel.

Looking around, Jude smiled, knowing that this was how things should be: surrounded by family, good conversation, and love. Truly, the only thing missing was Tommy, and maybe a ring on her finger. As much as she knew that he loved her and that they were a family, she wanted to get married. Maybe it was too soon considering they had only officially been a couple for about two months, but she knew that Tommy was it for her.

The small voice of a five-year-old girl interrupted her thoughts, "Jude, can we go to bed now? I want to watch Aladdin and Jasmine!"

Looking down, she smiled at Sam's questioning eyes, smiling and nodding her agreement. She looked up in apology to Sadie, "Sorry, Sis. But it is 7:30 already, and Sam will need to get to bed soon. I promised her we could watch _Aladdin_ together."

Smiling, Sadie simply said, "No worries, Sis. We should get going anyways. I'll see you later?"

"Definitely. Thanks for helping out tonight. Love you guys." With that, she gave hugs to Sadie and Kwest, and closed the door behind them. Turning to Sam, she asked, "So, Sam. What do you say we get that ice cream and head upstairs?"

"Okay!" was the only response Jude received before the little girl ran up the stairs.

Jude couldn't help but laugh as she grabbed the ice cream out of the fridge along with a couple of spoons. Walking up the stairs, she thought about what Tommy might be up to. She had called him just before her sister and Kwest got there and his phone had gone straight to voicemail, meaning it was off. She was a bit concerned by that, but shrugged it off as she saw Sam sitting in her and Tommy's bed, grinning like a crazy child and unable to sit still. "Sam, if we're going to have ice cream in bed we have to be very careful, okay? We can't let Daddy know."

"Okay." Patting the spot next to her, she said, "Hurry up!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming." Jude sat down next to the girl and they crawled under the top blanket, getting nice and comfortable for the movie. Not a minute later, the ice cream was open and the movie was on, both girls thoroughly enjoying themselves.

About halfway through the movie, the ice cream was finished and they were getting ready to cuddle under the covers when Sam sat straight up. "Jude, can I ask you a question?"

Jude had a flashback to the first day when she met Sam and the girl was so tentative. Wanting to lighten the mood, she tickled the girl's sides and told her, "I think you just did! But you can ask another one, silly girl."

The precious sound of Sam's laughter came in bursts, the tickling having its desired effects. "I call Daddy, Daddy, right?"

Wondering where things were going, Jude simply said, "Yes."

"Well..." There was a pause as Sam seemed to think about what she wanted to ask. Jude put a hand on her knee, trying to offer support and encouragement to continue. The little girl did so and looked at the bed, obviously still a bit nervous. "You are kind of like a mom, right?" Not giving Jude a chance to answer, she continued, "Can I call you Mommy?" Her eyes were clenched shut, obviously nervous and scared for Jude's response.

She was overwhelmed with love for the little girl who had quickly become one of the most important people in her life. Jude smiled, and put both hands on either side of Sam's face, trying to get her to look up. When the wide eyes of the little girl began to squint open, Jude began to speak. "Sam, I love you like my own daughter. It would make me so happy and I would be so honored if you would call me Mommy. I love you Sweetheart." She enveloped the girl in a tight embrace, holding her close, trying to convey her love.

After a few minutes, the girls separated, and Sam looked up to Jude, "Are you sure?"

"Yes, Sam. I am sure. I would love it if you called me Mommy." In the past couple of days, Jude had not experienced a time when she wanted Tommy to be there so badly. She wanted to share this moment with him, have him holding both of them close, truly embracing the little family they were building. At her reassurance to Sam, they snuggled together and cuddled underneath the sheets. Falling asleep quickly, Sam was wrapped securely in Jude's arms, a slight smile on her face.

…

At close to midnight, shirt un-tucked and collar undone, Tommy let himself in the door. He was tired and his head was pounding. His day had been filled with stuffy investor meetings, and he wanted to grab a vodka on the rocks and get to sleep. But more than that, he wanted to see Jude and Sam. It had been three days, but it felt like a lifetime. Since he had experienced what it was like to be with them, bring without them was pure torture. As he was riding around Southern California, all he could think about was what it would be like if his girls were with him. They could have gone to the beach, the Grammy Museum, and gotten cupcakes from Sprinkles—he knew that Jude would have loved them. But no, instead he had been separated from them and spent every spare moment missing them.

As he opened the door to his and Jude's bedroom, his heart warmed at the sight he was faced with. Sam was curled into a ball next to Jude, and she was clutching his pillow. The muted sounds of _Aladdin_ were playing in the background, and the menu screen lit the room in a soft glow. There was nothing that looked more perfect and appealing than the vision of those two in the bed. Forgetting all thoughts of a relaxing drink, Tommy rid himself of his shirt and shoes, followed quickly by his pants and socks. Left only in a pair of boxers, he crawled under the covers next to Jude, carefully removing the pillow from Jude's arms and drawing her closer. Within moments, he fell asleep with her in his arms and a hand on their little girl. This was perfection.

…

A few days later Tommy was woken to the feel of a pair of lips gently kissing his chest. Eyes still closed, he smiled, loving the feel of her caress. After a moment, he stopped her actions, putting a finger to her lips and then pulling her closer so that they were face to face. Putting a hand on the back of her neck, he brought her in for a kiss. The way her lips moved against his was perfect, and he was taken over by a need for more of her. He quickly pulled her onto him and, much to his delight, he realized that she was bottomless, her naked ass straddling him, her center rubbing against his growing erection.

Jude began to pull off her top, and from his place below her, Tommy's eyes grew wide in anticipation of the "show." If possible, his hardness became even more stiff, and he needed to feel her and touch her. He sat up a bit and began to kiss her stomach, letting his tongue dart out to taste her. The sound of her pleasure began to get louder, the moans becoming more frequent. The noises she made completely turned him on, and he swiftly turned them so that she was beneath him. Instantly her legs spread to make room for him and then wrapped around his waist, ensuring that he was as close as possible. Their mouths continued in a slow and sensual dual, exploring each and every crevice of the other's mouth. The want and longing he felt for her became too much, and he entered her in a deep thrust. Tommy let out a groan of his own at the feeling of her wrapped around him so tightly. The feeling of skin on skin was so intimately perfect, and he wanted nothing more than to bring her intense and perfect pleasure. Movement became more erratic, thrusts harder and deeper, her hips meeting his with every drive into her. Simultaneously, they reached climax, reveling in the complete bliss.

Finally recovering a few minutes later, Tommy looked down at Jude and couldn't help but smile. This incredible sexy woman was in his bed, naked and sweaty from a round of amazing Christmas-morning sex. The thought of their morning activities turned the smile into a smirk, quickly observed by Jude. "Perve!" she said as she smacked his chest and reached to the foot of the bed to retrieve the shirt she had on earlier.

He grinned, unable to resist her charms and leaned over the side of the bed to pick up a pair of flannel pajama bottoms that were resting there from the night before. "You know you love me," he countered.

Jude's glare turned to a smile as she leaned closer. "You're right, I do love you." She gave him a small peck, "Merry Christmas, Baby."

"Merry Christmas. I love you too." He put an arm around her and they leaned back against the headboard, pulling the covers up around them, relaxing in each others presence. Tommy couldn't help but think how perfect this moment was, but his thoughts were interrupted by the sound of little feet coming down the hallway. Before he could blink, a dark haired, blue eyed bundle of energy launched herself on their bed, and he couldn't help but laugh.

"Good morning, Sweetheart! Merry Christmas!" He realized that this would be the best Christmas ever: he had the two most important women in his life with him.

"Merry Christmas, Daddy, merry Christmas, Jude!" Sam was bouncing up and down on the bed, her excitement bubbling over.

As Sam began to come closer and started to climb into bed with him and Jude, his love looked over at him in a slight panic. "Babe, why don't you and Sam head downstairs and get some breakfast started while I get ready." At the word "ready" her eyes got big as if she was trying to tell him something. His confusion must have been obvious, and she began looking between him and the sheets that covered her.

Finally it clicked, and Tommy realized that Jude was bare-bottomed underneath the covers. "Sure, Sweetie. Let's go make pancakes, Sam."

"Okay!" She jumped off the bed, nearly falling in the process and raced Tommy out of the room. They were joined by Jude ten minutes later, and quickly sat down to breakfast. Tommy couldn't help but tease his girls for how quickly they downed their food, especially loving how much Jude ate. She not only finished off the extra pancakes that were made, but also the few bites left on Tommy _and_ Sam's plate. With breakfast finished and dishes being washed, the small family got ready to go and headed over to Kwest and Sadie's house.

Their day was filled with lots of laughter, and never before had Tommy felt like such a part of a family. Jude and Sadie's dad also joined them for the day—he had thankfully been able to get a flight into Toronto last night. When they first arrived, Stuart had pulled Tommy aside to have a "chat." He was filled with a sense of uncertainty and a bit of dread, not sure of what was going on. Gratefully, their talk had been amicable and even friendly. The older man had thanked him for taking care of Jude. He recognized that Jude was the happiest she had ever been, and he knew that Tommy was a large part of that. Before they joined the rest of the family, Jude's father told Tommy that he was excited to get to know Sam, and that he was excited for more grandkids in the future. Tommy hadn't been sure how to react to that statement, so laughed it off in an effort to keep things lighthearted.

Part-way through the day, everyone sat down to a feast that had been prepared by Sadie, leaving each and every one of them stuffed and content. At Sam's request, the group finished their evening by watching _Elf_. Jude had laid out on one couch, her feet on Tommy's lap, Sam on his other side cuddled into him. Their positions had been mimicked back at their house as they watched Christmas episodes of some of their favorite TV shows, falling asleep to the holiday episode of _Iron Chef America_. At some point during the night, they had all made their way upstairs after an adventure in the garage, ending what Tommy was sure was the most perfect Christmas he had yet experienced.

Tommy and Jude had taken the week following Christmas off, wanting to spend more time as a family. They went to the park, hit some after Christmas sales, and even taught Sam how to play mud football with Spied, Wally, and Kyle. Today, they went to Harbourfront Centre to go ice skating. Tommy had nearly fallen over in laughter while Jude was trying to teach Sam how to skate. Eventually she seemed to get the hang of it, and they skated for hours. They took a ferry to Toronto Island Park and walked around despite the cold. After an amazing Italian dinner at a restaurant close to the Centre, they had made it back to their place, immediately going upstairs to Tommy and Jude's room. They put on _Beauty and the Beast_, and crawled under the covers, falling asleep in what seemed like minutes.

An hour later, Tommy awoke with a start, groggily rubbing his eyes, and becoming more aware of his surroundings as he sat up. Realizing that something from the movie must have startled him, he looked over to check on Jude and Sam, smiling at the way they were laying. Sam was sprawled out taking up half of the bed, one leg over Jude's waist, while his girl was curled into a ball at his side. Deciding that his daughter would be much better off in her own bed, Tommy pushed himself off of the bed, going around to the side where she lay and picking her up. Cradling her in his arms, he brought her to her room and lay her in the bed. Giving her a small peck on the forehead, he told her, "I love you, Baby. Sleep tight." He didn't care that she may not be able to hear him in her sleep, it was part of his nightly ritual. After living without her for five years and more recently not seeing her for a few days, Tommy didn't want to let one day pass without telling Sam that he loved her.

Walking across the hallway he thought back over their busy day. It had been long, but filled with adventure and laughter. They had made sure to bring the camera with them, wanting to capture all of the memories they were sure to have. And man did they have some good memories of the day. Tommy had truly enjoyed just being with his girls. They had filled thermoses with hot cocoa to help them stay warm, and bundled up in sweaters, jackets, scarves, mittens, and hats. In one of the pictures you could barely recognize who was being photographed aside from the perfect blue that was Jude's beautiful eyes. When they went to the park, Jude had taught Sam how to make snow angels. He had stood by and taken picture after picture, completely enamored by the beautiful ladies he had been blessed with. He decided to frame one of those photos—Jude and Sam were looking at each other mid-snow-angel with eyes sparkling and smiles bright—and give it to Jude.

Speaking of her, Tommy smiled at the sight of his lovely woman, buried beneath the covers, cuddling his pillow. It warmed his heart to think that she would naturally gravitate towards something that carried his scent when he wasn't there. There was a hint of a smile gracing her face, and he wondered what she might be dreaming of, hoping it had to do with him or their little family. In that moment, standing in the doorway to their room, he was overwhelmed with happiness. Wherever she was, he would be too. He was blessed to know her, let alone call her his own. The term "girlfriend" just didn't do justice to their relationship, and he couldn't wait for the day when he could change that.

Ever the musician, Tommy wasn't surprised when a melody began making its way through his head. Standing upright, he went into the office/studio and grabbed his guitar. Sitting down, he began to strum, coaxing out the notes that were on his mind. A while later, satisfied with how the tune was coming along, he pulled out a notebook and began to write. At first it was simply a list cataloging the many things that made Jude so…Jude. Slowly it was transformed into a masterpiece, detailing the joy that came from just being together. Regardless of the many relationships and girls he had over the years, what he had with Jude was different. She was special, and he would spend all of his days making sure she was happy and taken care of. Having Sam in the mix of things only made things better. He realized that, no matter where he was, his girls were imprinted upon his heart. Words continued to flow, and hours later he had a rough version down. He could imagine Jude's voice singing some of the lines and couldn't wait to play it for her.

Though the song was done, he sat in the office for a bit longer, eyes closed and reveling in the memories from the last few months. He thought back to when he first found out about Sam and how Jude was so perfect—taking care of him and so supportive. A smile appeared on his face at the thought of their first family sleepover in the living room. He remembered how idiotic he had been to push her away, and the fear and panic he felt when he thought she was leaving him, even if she was only looking for her own place. The pictures she had been looking at online stayed with him, and Tommy could literally see them cuddled in bed in their own little house, a fire in the fire place.

That image was so real, the picture so perfect, that he was a bit surprised to open his eyes and find that he was in his office. Even more surprising was the feeling of sadness at not being in his and Jude's fictional home. Realizing how much he wanted that, determination set in. Pulling up the internet on his computer, he searched for the house that Jude had been looking at and longing after. Seeing that it was still on the market, he wrote down the number of the agent and decided to visit the place the following day. Satisfied with all that he had accomplished that evening, he got up and headed back to his room. Thankfully it was only midnight, and he didn't have to be up before nine. Crawling into bed next to his beautiful Jude, he smiled in contentment, excited at the possibility of buying a house together.

The next day he claimed errands as the reason for an extended absence and quickly went to the property he had found the night before. As the real estate agent took him around, his thoughts were confirmed that this place was perfect. After seeing the extent of the house and property, he was convinced, and made an on-the-spot offer. Having bought a few places in his life, he knew how to negotiate, and was satisfied with the price. He was guaranteed that the home would be vacant by the end of the week, perfect timing for his New Year's Eve plans with Jude. Driving back home, Tommy could barely contain his excitement. This home and this move was the next step in his family's life. Next would come a proposal, marriage, and more kids down the line. He could almost see into the future, a few more kids running around, friends and family gathered, and lots of love.

Banishing the mushy and lovey-dovey thoughts from his mind—he didn't want to turn into too much of a sap—and pulling into the parking garage, Tommy saw the bike that Jude had gotten him for Christmas and his smile got even wider. She knew him so well and knew that he had wanted a new bike for a while. It didn't hurt that she thought he looked incredibly sexy while riding it. He smirked, thinking of Christmas night—they had put Sam to bed and gone downstairs for some time to themselves. Unable to resist, Tommy had gone to take a look at his bike and, when he didn't return for over twenty minutes, Jude went to go find him. When she saw him sitting on the bike, she nearly jumped him then and there. They had barely made it inside when she confessed that she had always thought bikes were sexy.

Laughing at the memory, he headed inside to find Jude and Sam, making a mental list of what he needed to do over the next couple of days. He planned to surprise Jude with the house on New Year's Eve, and wanted to make sure that everything would be taken care of. Seeing his girls engrossed in a game of Memory, he smiled and took off his shoes, joining them on the floor.

"So, who's winning?"

…

She had been standing in the walk-in closet for nearly a half hour and still couldn't find anything worth wearing. It didn't help that he had given her no clue as to what their evening held. It was New Year's Eve and Tommy had promised a "low key" evening. The only thing he told her was to "dress warm, but comfortable." Jude didn't know whether that meant sweats or nice pants or something in between. Giving up, she pulled out her phone and hit "2" on her speed-dial.

"Yes…"

The way he answered his phone, Jude could tell he was smiling. "If you won't tell me anything about tonight, just tell me what to wear!" she whined into the phone. She moved into their master bathroom and turned on the spout, trying to get the water warm before filling the tub.

After a brief pause, Tommy simply said, "Fine."

When he didn't say anything else, she asked, "Well?" She desperately needed help, and he wasn't giving her anything!

"Babe, you usually wait until the last minute to get ready, and I told you to be ready at seven; its not quite five yet. What's the deal?"

"Ugh, you are irritating sometimes! If you must know, dad is in town for the weekend and suggested taking Sam back to his hotel for the night. He picked him up maybe thirty minutes ago so they would have time to get take-out and movies. Apparently he knows what we're doing even if I don't. Anyways, I thought it might be nice to take a bath and relax since you won't be around until we leave." A groan could be heard from the other end of the phone, and Jude couldn't help the smile that came. "Jealous, Babe?"

"Harrison, you torture me. Now I really wish that I was at home! As to your question…" There was another pause before he continued, "Wear those black jeans you like and something long sleeved; bring a jacket or your down vest too. And it would probably be good to wear boots to keep your feet warm. How does that sound?"

"I'm actually quite impressed," Jude conceded. She was thankful for his ever-present sense of style and moved back into the closet to pull out the items of clothing he suggested. "What are you up to?" She hadn't really seen him all day—he told her he had to get some things done at the office, but when she called down to the studio, no one had answered.

"Just getting things done. Can you try to be ready at seven?"

"I will be, I promise." Jude went back into the bathroom and turned off the water, the tub now filled, and began to undress. "I'm gonna go now, but I'll see you in a bit. Love you." A faint, "Love you too, Baby" came from the other end of the phone as Jude was setting it down on the counter. She climbed into the tub, and let the relaxation begin.

Nearly two hours later, she was putting the finishing touches on her makeup, just waiting for her boyfriend to come and whisk her away. Just then, she heard the front door open and called out, "Tommy, is that you?"

"Hey, Babe! You about ready?"

Fluffing her hair one last time, Jude grabbed her bag and walked into the hallway, meeting Tommy part way down the stairs. "I am...you look sexy, Hon." She leaned down to give his a quick kiss, "You ready to go?"

"Yeah. Let's get out of here." He grabbed her hand and led her the rest of the way down the stairs. "Do you have a jacket?"

She held up the leather coat and they headed out to the garage. Tommy opened her car door, but wouldn't let her get in, placing a blindfold over her eyes before helping her in. "I didn't know you wanted to play like _that_, Babe," she said with a smirk.

"That's for later, Sweetheart. Right now, we have somewhere to be." With that, he closed her door and got into the driver's side. They chatted about menial things—his day, an interesting recipe she wanted to try out.

Eventually, Jude's curiosity got the best of her, and she asked, "Where the hell are we, babe?"

She could hear the chuckle from the other side of the car before he answered, "Patience, Babe. Patience."

"Forget patience, I want to know what's going on!" she exclaimed. She was over not knowing what was going on! It was New Year's Eve and she wanted to start enjoying herself.

"Well..." he stopped for a moment and Jude could tell the car was turning and slowing down. He then grabbed her hand and said, "There is no longer a need for patience. We're here." When she attempted to take off her blindfold with the hand he didn't hold, he grabbed it, "Almost, Babe. Just hold your horses. Stay put."

Jude did as she was told, able to hear that he was getting out of the car, assumedly to help her out. Her thoughts were confirmed as her door opened and she felt him grab her hand. She felt the need for silence, all of a sudden overwhelmed with the idea that something big was about to happen. Would Tommy propose? The fact that they had been together for so little time didn't phase her, she knew that Tommy was her forever. She wanted to build a family and a life with him and Sam. Trying to not get her hopes up, Jude shook her head and cleared her mind.

Tommy led her up a small set of steps and through a door. She felt him wrap his arms around her middle and walk with her into the room, whispering into her ear, "Almost, Babe." Walking a few more steps to the right, Tommy stopped his movement, automatically stopping hers as well. "We're here. Let's get this blindfold off of you."

With that, he pulled of the fabric over her eyes and she couldn't help but gasp at the sight in front of her. They were in a large, empty room with a fire raging in the fireplace and candles nearly covering the floor. The only spot not taken over by candles was close to the fireplace and filled with blankets, pillows and a comforter. Her eyes were wide, and she looked behind her to find her love. "Babe?" She was flooded with questions and appreciation all at the same time.

"I love you, Jude. I love you so much." He kissed her passionately, but separated quickly. "Do you recognize this place?"

At first, Jude had no idea where she was. She looked around, and was surprised to realize that the staircase looked kind of familiar. Now that she focused more, she recalled the kitchen through the big opening and the beautiful wood and stone floors throughout what she could see of the downstairs. Then, it all hit her like a ton of bricks. "Tommy! Is this..." She took another look around the room, then back at the love of her life. "This looks like the house I was looking at. Why are we here?"

"Well, my love, I was thinking that we could move here. I feel like it would be a waste to have bought this home and not live here. What do you think? You want to move in with me..." he shrugged his shoulders, "again?"

She couldn't help herself and jumped into his arms. "I would love to!" Being completely supported in his arms, she kissed him, knowing that, even if it wasn't a proposal, it was right. Maybe that would come soon enough. For now she would revel in the joy of being with the man she loved on New Year's Eve. All thoughts began to leave her, and instead, she focused solely on the kiss.

Minutes later, Tommy walked over to the little fort he had created and knelt, laying her down on the make-shift bed. Detaching their lips, he looked at her, and caressed the side of her face with a calloused hand. "I love you."

Her eyes softened and she smiled. Unable to form many words, she answered simply, "I love you too." Their lips reconnected, and they spent the next few hours making out like teenagers—rolling around on their blankets, letting hands wander, sharing kisses and their passion. An hour before the ball dropped, things progressed and they ended up making love in every sense of the words until past midnight. Neither cared that the big event came and went, they were too wrapped up in each other to notice.

The bright sun shone in through the windows the next morning, waking both Jude and Tommy from their peaceful slumber. Smiling at each other, they sat up, putting on some of the clothes scattered around their blankets and pillows. "So, when do we move in?" Jude was so excited—she couldn't wait to get started.

"I was thinking that we could move in next weekend. How does that sound?"

"Perfect! I seriously can't wait!" Amidst her excitement, Jude sobered, "What about Sam?" What would their little girl think about moving? Would she want to move? How would they tell her?

"What if we tell her this morning. We'll get breakfast at the diner and tell her then."

She smiled at his suggestion, "Oooh, prime her with food. Good thinking, Quincy."

He looked to the side sheepishly, "It can't hurt..."

"I'm kidding, Babe. I think its a great plan. Let me call my dad." Reaching for her phone, a thought came to her, "Did my Dad know about this?" At his nod, she hit his shoulder, "I hate you and love you all at the same time." Leaning in, she gave him a quick kiss before standing, still completely naked.

"Are you sure you want to tell Sam right now?"

Jude couldn't help but smirk at him, and after a quick laugh said, "Babe, we can do that later. Now get up."

The two got dressed and took a quick look around the house. From there, they went to Stuart's hotel and grabbed Sam, heading over to their favorite diner, Avenue Open Kitchen. They told her the exciting news and, to their great pleasure, she was thrilled.

"We get to all live together in a big house? With grass? And a pool?" The girl was nearly bouncing out of her seat because of her excitement.

Jude nodded, putting a hand over Sam's in an effort to calm the girl down slightly. "That's what we were thinking. You wanna go take a look today?"

"Yes! Let's go now! Can we go, please?" Her voice got a whole octave higher, and the bouncing only increased.

Jude was worried that, if they didn't take Sam soon, the little girl might burst. "Sam…" She paused in hopes that the girl would listen and stop her constant movement. When that happened, Jude continued, "We can go to the house…" At her words, the movement began to increase again and Sam's eyes got wide. Again, Jude put a hand over the little girl's and looked at her with knowing eyes. She couldn't help but crack a smile when the bundle of excitement closed her eyes and visibly tried to calm herself down. Jude couldn't believe how similar Sam's reactions were to Tommy. Finally, the girl seemed to be a bit more contained, and Jude continued. "But, we have to finish our breakfast first. And I don't mean shoving it in our face, either." The last part was added because she knew that Sam would try to get as much food in her mouth as possible, and Jude just didn't want to make a trip to the emergency room on an exciting day like today.

Reluctantly, Sam put a bite in her mouth—larger than usual, but still manageable. They continued to talk amongst themselves, and Sam told them how they should decorate her room. She wanted it to be the same as her current room, but she decided that it would be fun to have more pictures of them. Hearing her say that made Jude's heart warm, how could she say no to that? She looked up to find Tommy gazing at her with a sappy expression on his face. She could tell that he was embracing the "family moment" that they were having, and she couldn't hide her own happiness. Realizing that plates were empty, she grabbed one of his hands and one of Sam's and asked, "Are we ready? Daddy can pay and we can head out to the car?"

Sam was the first to stand, "Let's go! Hurry and pay, Daddy!" Turning to Jude, she said, "Mommy, you can drive. Let's go!"

Jude smiled at the girl's excitement and looked at Tommy, who was on his way to the register to pay for their early meal. She was about to ask for keys, when he pulled them out of his pocket and handed them over to her. "Get the car started and I'll be out in a minute," he told her before giving her a quick kiss.

"No time for kisses! Come on!" Sam's excitement was getting the better of her.

Jude was sure she didn't mean to be rude, but it her comments did come off that way. She decided that it would be a good thing to speak to the girl in the car. Moments later they were buckled in and ready to go, quickly joined by Tommy. They made it to the house in under ten minutes, and all clamored up the steps and walked into their home together, as a family. Sam raced from room to room, exploring and checking everything out. Nearly an hour later, she came into the kitchen where Tommy and Jude were chatting. She was wrapped in his arms, truly enjoying the feeling of being held by him, chatting about how they could transform the basement into a studio, what she wanted to do in the backyard, and how they couldn't wait to host a few family dinners and holidays.

"Mommy?"

"Yeah, Hon?" She could tell that Sam wanted to ask something, but the crooked brow she was currently sporting gave evidence to her confusion. "What's going on, Sam?"

"Well, this house has a lot of rooms. Our old house only has three—one for music, one for me, and one for you and Daddy."

Jude was unsure where this was going. She detached herself from Tommy and knelt down to be eye-level with Sam, "That's right."

"Um…" The little girl looked at the floor and began moving from one foot to the other. "Will you not sleep with Daddy anymore? There are so many rooms so you don't have to, but I like coming in and having parties in your room and I want to have all of us in the same room…"

She would have continued if Jude hadn't put a finger to her lips. "Sam, Daddy and I are still going to stay in the same room. We can still have parties and sleepovers ever once in a while." She smiled and asked, "What brought this up?"

"Stupid Gregory from school told me that you weren't really my Mommy because mommies and daddies are married. I told him it didn't matter, but he said that we weren't a real family." Looking into Jude's eyes, Sam smiled, "Don't worry Mommy, I hit him and told him he was wrong."

It was hard for Jude not to laugh, but she knew that she would have to correct Sam's behavior. "Sam, even if the boy from school was wrong, it doesn't mean you can hit him."

"But he was being so mean!" the little girl exclaimed.

"I know, Hon. But you still can't hit people. If it happens again, just walk away or tell your teacher." Tommy knelt down next to her and jumped in with the parenting advice, causing Jude to smile.

Ever since they had gotten Sam, he had been so "Dad-like." She thought it was so precious, and it made her even more attracted to him. One of the things she loved most was seeing him in "Dad-mode." The other day they had been watching a movie and Sam was curled up next to him, Jude could almost picture a little newborn sleeping on his chest.

She was startled from her thoughts by a small hand placed on her arm. "Mommy, are we a real family?"

Without a second thought, Jude answered, "Yes, Baby. We are a real family. There is no question about it—we love each other and we are a family."

She seemed to contemplate that for a moment before answering, "Oh, okay. Can I show you my room?"

"Sure, Sam. Let's go take a look." Jude stood next to Tommy and followed Sam through the house, up the stairs, and down the hall. As they walked, Jude tuned out whatever the little girl and Tommy were discussing, instead pondering the small discussion they just had. The little boy from Sam's class brought up something that had been on Jude's mind quite a bit lately. As much as they were a family—and she would defend that to anyone—her and Tommy weren't married. Really, they weren't even engaged, just shaking up together. She wanted to be married and have more kids and go the distance with him, but she also knew that Tommy had never been much for commitment and marriage. Would she forever be the girlfriend? She wished that it wasn't such a big deal, but it was, and she was struggling. She wanted to be a wife and a mom. She wanted to be pregnant and have a kid that she helped make. She wanted the happily ever after.

Jude was pulled from her thoughts when Sam grabbed her hand and started spinning her around the room. She laughed and smiled along with Tommy, but a cloud of question and uncertainty still hung in the air.

Hours later, the group pulled away from their house on their way home to begin packing things up. They had already spoken to Kwest, Sadie, Stuart, and SME, enlisting all of their help for the big move-in the following weekend. The week went by in a flash, Jude was consumed with writing, recording, and producing, not to mention packing the old house so that they would be ready to go. Saturday morning came and they all got up early, ready to move in to their place and begin the next step in their lives together.

Jude had still been thinking about the whole marriage topic, but masked any frustration she felt. The move-in went well, and by seven the whole gang was exhausted. One of the first things to be set up was the big-screen TV, so everyone decided to gather in the family room and relax by watching a movie. Jude ordered enough pizza for everyone—impressive considering that Spied, Wally, and Kyle could each finish off a pizza individually. Around nine, everyone began to leave, and Tommy carried a sleeping Sam up to her room. They would still be putting things together and getting rooms ready for a while, but at least all of the major furniture was put in place. Jude cleaned up the living room a bit, throwing away empty pizza boxes and plastic cups. There were only two or three pieces of pizza left at the end of the night, and she was once again surprised by how much her friends could eat.

A pair of hands snaked around her waist as she stood at the sink. "Mmm, hey Babe."

Tommy placed a kiss on her cheek, "Hey." He turned her so that she was facing him and put his hands on her hips, "Did you have fun today?"

"Today was awesome. We are really lucky to have such amazing friends." She leaned in to him, savoring the quiet closeness of the moment.

"That we are." He kissed the top of her head since she had buried her face in the crook of his neck. "Hey Babe?"

"Yeah?" came Jude's muffled response.

"Let's go upstairs, I have something to show you."

Not waiting for a response, he led her up the stairs in into their bedroom. The only thing currently in the room was the massive bed and a few candles scattered around. Jude smiled, loving the soft lighting that he had become so fond of lately. "What's this for?" she asked. In the back of her mind, she wondered if this was the proposal she had been waiting for. But, instead of focusing on that possibility, she pushed those thoughts from her mind. She had been a bit disappointed before and didn't want that to happen again. She loved him, regardless of if he was officially her fiancé or husband or not.

He pointed to the bed and motioned for her to take a seat, reaching for the guitar that was propped against the side of the bed. "I wrote something and I want to play it for you." He didn't let her get a word in, and began to play a sweet tune.

A few minutes later, he finished and, if she didn't already love him, she would have fallen in love all over again. There were tears in her eyes as she just looked at him, unable to really say anything. All that came out was, "Babe, that was…" She leaned over the guitar and kissed him sweetly—simple and full of love.

"Do you like it?" Tommy asked as they pulled apart from each other.

How could he even ask that? "It was so beautiful…I loved it." The emotion was so intense that her voice was thick and a bit raspy.

"Good." He looked down at the guitar still in his hands and asked, "Do you think we could finish and record it together?"

"What do you mean?" Why would he want this creation to be changed? It sounded so beautiful when sung by his voice, full of emotion and love.

"I want you to sing it with me. And I know that some of the lyrics could be tightened up a bit. I think it could be the perfect duet as the final song on your album—kind of like a hidden track. What do you think?"

Again, her heart was filled with love, "I think it's a beautiful idea." She gave him another kiss before asking, "Play it for me again?" She grabbed the notebook he had been using and the pencil that was stuck in the spiral binding as he began to play.

Tommy played the song as he had originally written it, Jude making notes off to the side all the while. Once he finished, she scooted closer to him on the bed so that she was next to him, not facing him. The both hunched over the notebook and played at least twenty variations of the song, but a only an hour later, they had a finished product. "Can we play it one last time?" Jude asked, wanting to hear the final version.

He nodded and began to play the song that they had dubbed _Paperweight_.

_Been up all night staring at you_

_Wondering what's on your mind_

_I've been this way with so many before but this feels like the first time_

_You want the sunrise to go back to bed_

_I want to make you laugh_

_Mess up my bed with me_

_Kick off the covers_

_I'm waiting_

_Every word you say I think I should write down_

_Don't want to forget come daylight_

_Happy to lay here_

_Just happy to be here_

_I'm happy to know you_

_Play me a song_

_Your newest one_

_Please leave your taste on my tongue_

_Paperweight on my back_

_Cover me like a blanket_

_Mess up my bed with me_

_Kick off the covers_

_I'm waiting_

_Every word you say I think I should write down_

_Don't want to forget come daylight_

_And no need to worry_

_That's wasting time_

_And no need to wonder what's been on my mind_

_It's you_

_It's you_

_It's you_

_Every word you say I think I should write down_

_Don't want to forget come daylight_

_And I give up_

_I let you win_

_You win 'cause I'm not counting_

_You made it back to sleep again_

_Wonder what you're dreaming_

"Its perfect. I would love to have this on my album." She kissed him, trying to convey all of the love and passion she felt at that moment.

He pulled away from her quickly, but when she looked at him with confusion and a hint of frustration, he told her, "I wanted to be closer…feel more of you…" He set the guitar on the ground and came back to her, locking their lips in an ardent kiss.

She couldn't seem to get enough of him, and her need to feel all of him took over. Within minutes, they were both stripped of all clothing, and burning with want and need. Passion filled the air, heat overcame them, and they made blazing hot love—expressing their feelings and emotions in the way they knew would be most effective.

Bringing each other over the edge, they fell to the bed and eyes were instantly closed—reveling in the love and recovering from their eager intimacy. Jude was quick to drift off—feeling safe and taken care of in the arms of the man she loved so deeply. Regardless of if there was a ring on her finger or not, she was content being with Tommy. Of course, in an ideal world, they would get married in a simple ceremony with friends and family gathered around them. But this, being with him and their daughter in their new home, was so right. He was her future, and she began to truly find contentment in that.

…

The song Sam and Tommy referred to at the beginning was I Just Wanted Your Love by Alexz Johnson.

The song Tommy and Jude create together is _Paperweight_ by Joshua Radin, featuring Schuyler Fisk.


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

The past six weeks had literally flown by. Sam was doing well in school—still making new friends and becoming more precocious by the day. Jude's album continued to progress, with a release set for three months down the road. Songs had been pouring out of her, her new life with Sam and Tommy had inspired her a great deal. She had filled almost a whole new notebook since Sam had moved in nearly three months ago. While she knew that most of what she was writing now wouldn't be put on an album, the songs were still close to her heart. They were a part of her, part of how she processed all of the new experiences.

While her days had been filled with her music and Sam's were full of school and new friends, Tommy's time was largely taken over by his role running the studio. Though they were all busy, the family made sure to spend time together as often as possible. Once a week they made sure to have a family night with dinner and a movie, and every Sunday morning they had a huge pancake breakfast with Sam catching up on cartoons and Tommy and Jude catching up on some sleep.

While family nights and Sunday morning breakfast were times truly cherished by Jude, she missed time with her love. She missed waking up to his kisses on her neck without the possibility of being interrupted by a perky little girl. She missed the afternoons when Tommy would spontaneously bring her home on their lunch break so they could enjoy each other in every sense of the phrase. She wouldn't trade having Sam with them for the world, but that didn't make her miss time alone with him any less. They seriously needed to do something about their work schedules to make sure that they made spending time together a priority.

As she continued the drive to Sam's school, her thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of her phone. Thanks to the unique rendition of "Pick Up the Pieces," she knew it would be Tommy on the other end. "Hey Babe! What's up?" The silence coming from Tommy immediately turned the happiness that came from hearing his voice to concern, and Jude asked, "Babe?"

The clearing of a throat came over the line before he answered, "Uh..."

She knew this couldn't be a good sign and prompted him for an answer. "Tommy, what's going on?"

"Let me just say that I am so sorry, I didn't mean for this to happen."

"What to happen?" Jude asked, a hint of anger evident in her voice.

"Well, I just got off the phone with D and he said that there are some big investors in town. They are heading back to New York in the morning, but want to meet with me tonight to see how the studio is doing."

At his words, her heart sank in her chest. "But its Valentine's Day, Tommy. Why do they want to meet tonight?" she whined. She couldn't believe that he would be missing their first date since New Year's Eve. To be honest, she didn't really care about the holiday, but it was the perfect excuse to have some alone time with Tommy. Her dad had even made a special trip into town so that he could watch Sam for the night. They had been planning this for a couple of weeks already.

"I know, Babe. I know. But there isn't anything I can do about it. They conferenced with Darius earlier today and he suggested they take a look at the studio and get a better idea of what we have going on. They thought that was a perfect plan, and decided that we should do dinner tonight at the studio. I just called in the take-out order from that steak place down the street. I am sorry."

Jude could tell that he was sincere in his apology, but that didn't change her complete frustration with the situation. On some level, she knew it wasn't his fault, but she couldn't help being irritated with how things turned out. "Couldn't the investors come in the morning and have a breakfast meeting?" she asked.

A brief pause was followed with "I didn't think of that. But it doesn't matter now, the food is ordered and the investors will be here in a half hour."

Not knowing how to respond, she stayed silent for a bit longer before telling him that they could talk later. "I just got to the school to pick up Sam, so I guess I'll see you tonight." Without waiting for a response, she hung up the phone. Before putting the device away, she dialed her father, letting him in on the change in plans. While the phone rang, she pulled in to a spot at Sam's school and got out of the car to wait for her girl. When her dad finally answered and after they said their hellos, she told him, "So, things are going to be a bit different tonight. Tommy has a meeting, so why don't you just come to the house and the three of us will hang out. How does that sound?"

Stuart agreed, asking if he could bring anything. She told him no and, after working out a few more details, they hung up. The timing couldn't have been better—just as Jude was putting her phone in her pocket, Sam came running up shouting, "Mommy!"

Her words brought a smile to Jude's face as she bent down to hug the little girl. "Hey, Sweetheart. How was your day?"

She buckled Sam in the car and started the drive home as the girl told her all about the day at school. Upon reaching their house, Sam was in mid-story about a little boy who asked her to be his Valentine. As cute as the girl was, Jude couldn't help but think back to her conversation with Tommy. She was still incredibly peeved about him missing their date, and she knew that the whole night would be somewhat of a battle to have a good attitude with her dad and Sam.

Helping her girl gather her things, the two walked into the house. Not five minutes later, there was a knock on the door, and Jude let her father into the house. "Hey, dad. I'm glad you still came over. Sorry about the change of plans."

"No problem, Jude." He gave her a hug, and while holding her close, he whispered in her ear, "Hon, I know that this isn't quite the night you planned for, but we'll have a good time."

She smiled at her father's words—he always knew exactly what she needed. "Thanks," she whispered back. Straightening up, she told him, "Put your stuff wherever. If you want to stay the night, you can take the blue room upstairs."

"Thanks, Sweetie. I canceled my room at the hotel, so I think I will take the that room. I'll be back down in a few."

As he walked up the stairs, she followed him, calling that he should get changed into some more comfortable clothes. A few minutes later, all three convened in the kitchen. Jude looked over to her little girl and asked, "Sam, what do you want for dinner? I thought that we could eat and then make cookies later."

"Yes! Mommy, that is a **good** plan. Let's make pizza for dinner!"

Not surprised by the girl's request. Home-made pizza was her favorite thing recently, though usually they would be making it with Tommy. _Stop_! Jude commanded herself. She needed to stop thinking about him so that she could enjoy her evening with her daughter and father. She was determined to have a good time tonight, even if it wasn't turning out how she planned.

Dinner was successful, despite how disastrous the kitchen might look. As Jude cleaned things up, she smiled at the laughter coming from the living room where Sam and her father were playing. In that moment, she was happy. Of course, she missed Tommy, but she couldn't help but love the laughter and joy that was filling the house. This was how a home should sound.

Kitchen finally cleaned, Jude called for Sam and her dad to join her once again. "Should we get started on those cookies?"

"Yes! Let's make shape cookies!"

The laughter bubbled out of Jude before she could help it. She knew that "shape cookies" meant sugar cookies, and she was happy with the choice. Simple sugar cookies were her favorite, and clearly Sam's favorite too. "Alright, Sweetie. Grab the cookie cutters and I'll get the ingredients. They were briefly interrupted by the ringing of a phone, which was quickly picked up by Stuart. The softness of his voice when he said "hello" caused Jude to think it was the gal that she suspected he was seeing. She motioned for him to go upstairs, understanding the desire to have a more private conversation.

She and Sam continued making their cookies, laughing and joking around the whole time. After putting the first batch in the oven, the kitchen was suspiciously quiet. Jude began to worry as absolute quiet was never a good sign. As she tried to peak around the butcher block island in the middle of the room, she was surprised with a smack on her ass. Turning, she saw Sam covered in flour. "Sam, what did you do?"

She giggled before saying, "Nothing..."

Jude turned to see what the mischievous girl had done and saw a nice flour handprint on her butt. She couldn't help but laugh at the girl's actions. "But Sam..." she turned and grabbed some flour in her own hand, "you need to have one too!" Placing her flour-filled hand on Sam's cheek, she made sure to rub the ingredient in well.

"Mama! You need some on your face too!" A small flour handprint was put on Jude's cheek as they erupted into a fit of laughter and giggles.

…

The melody that filled his ears upon entering the house brought an immediate smile to his face. Regardless of the completely frustrating day he had, the laughter, giggles, and music that rang out instantly made everything better. He was furious with Darius for suggesting the investors take a look at the studio, and more aggravated that he didn't think to have them come by the following morning. This was the date night he and Jude had been planning for weeks, and who knew when their next chance would be to be alone.

As much as he loved having Sam in his life, he missed the alone time he used to have with Jude. He knew things would have to change, and had originally planned on having that conversation tonight. But now, all he wanted was to tuck Sam into bed and spend time with Jude. Following the laughter and tune of "I Want to Hold Your Hand" from the Beatles, he made his way into the kitchen and couldn't stop the grin from spreading across his face. Both girls were dancing and covered in flour, Jude with a small handprint on her ass, Sam with some in her hair.

Quietly setting his things down, Tommy creeped up behind them and laced his arm around Jude, kissing her on the neck just below her ear. With one hand, he pulled Sam close to them and simply held on. The feeling of his girls being so close was absolute perfection, and again he wondered why he agreed to meet with the investors when he could have spent his time like this.

A shrill "Daddy!" interrupted his thoughts and he smiled. "Hi Baby, how are you?" Looking at his little girl, he held her closer as she began to tell him all about her day. She wiggled from his grasp and began to gesture wildly, then began dancing to the music that was still playing. He let her twirl about and held onto Jude even more tightly. "I missed you, Babe. I am so sorry about tonight. I will make it up to you."

He was pleased when she turned to face him and wrapped her arms around his neck. Having her so close was somewhat intoxicating, and Tommy had to pull away before he took her then and there. The simple act of her body pressed flush against his caused an erection to spring forth. She felt his hardness, and looked at him in surprise before stifling a giggle in his shoulder.

"Eager, are we Babe?"

He pulled back from her and glared before allowing his features to soften into a small smile. "What can I say? I seriously missed your sexy body." His features transformed into a smirk as he looked her up and down, eyes lingering on the bit of skin showing between her shirt and sweatpants. He allowed his hands to caress the small line, but again pulled away before doing something he would regret in front of their daughter. Knowing that he desperately needed some alone time with Jude, he also knew that he had to get Sam off to bed.

Using Jude to block his slightly protruding erection, Tommy turned to Sam and asked, "Sweetie, why don't you run up and get changed for bed. Mommy can tuck you in, okay?"

"Okay, Daddy. I love you."

Her sweet words brought yet another smile to his face. Kneeling down, he grabbed her in a hug, "I love you too, Sweetheart." Standing back up, he watched her run up the stairs, then pulling Jude close to him. He began to sway to the music that was still playing, holding his girl in his arms.

After a few moments, she tried to break free from his grasp, but he stopped her. "Babe, we'll take care of the dishes tomorrow. Go tuck in Sam, and I will get changed. Then, you and I can have some much-needed alone time." His last words were spoken as his eyebrows raised up and down mischievously.

Smiling, Jude responded, "I like the sound of that." She placed a small kiss on his cheek. As she was walking up the stairs, she looked over her shoulder, "I'll see you soon, sexy." With that, she blew him a kiss and continued up to to Sam's room.

Knowing his time was somewhat limited, he grabbed a few cookies that had come out of the oven a few moments before and a bottle of champagne from their alcohol cabinet. Before turning off the lights, he made sure to get a couple of flutes as well. Literally racing up the stairs, his first stop was the bathroom to turn on the tub. He then searched the room for a few candles he knew Jude hid here. Victorious, he lit them and set them around the room. Wanting to complete the set-up, he turned on some soft music, thrilled that it was the Grover Washington, Jr. CD they had been listening to earlier that week.

Music and candles set, champagne poured, and bubble bath ready, Tommy stripped himself of all clothing and donned a cushy bathrobe while he waited for Jude to join him. He couldn't wait to spend time with her alone—away from the distractions of everyday life. Hearing her steps get closer, he couldn't help but smile. The second she walked in their room, he went to her and kissed her. Immediately getting lost in the feel of her lips on his, he began to remove the t-shirt she was still wearing, sliding his hands up her bare back. The feel of her soft skin was like heaven, and when he pulled the shirt off, he was surprised to see that she hadn't been wearing a bra. His breath caught in his throat, but before she could move even an inch away from him, he drew her against him again.

Their lips reconnected and tongues were instantly engaged in a fierce duel. His hands roamed her body, tangling in her hair and clutching onto her ass. Realizing that she still had far too many clothes on, Tommy began to push the sweatpants she was in down her legs, thrilled to realize that she wasn't wearing any underwear. If possible, he grew even more hard and, as soon as she was rid of the separating layers, he shoved off his robe. Pulling back, he perused her, taking in every inch of her body, loving every inch of her body. Knowing that they had a bath to get to, he grabbed her hand and led her to the bathroom. As the reached the door, he moved her so that she was in front of him and put his hands over her eyes. "Babe, I have a surprise for you." Step by step he led her into the bathroom, letting the soft sounds of jazz saxophone fill her ears, and the sweet subtle scent of vanilla invade her senses.

Pulling his hands away from her eyes, he let her take in their surroundings. The slight intake of her breath gave evidence of her appreciation. After a moment, she turned in his arms and held him close. "When did you do this?" she whispered.

"I figured this would be a good way to start making up for missing out date tonight. I am sorry." He peppered kisses along her cheek and up to her ear. He could help taking the lobe of her ear in between his teeth and sucking on it gently—she just tasted so good!

Her voice interrupted his actions, "I know you are. Let's put this bath to good use."

Leaning back, he could see the sweet smile on her lips and the sparkle in her eyes. Not waiting another second, he prodded her in the direction of the tub and allowed her to get in first. Finally settled, Jude's back was to his front, and his arms were wrapped around her middle. They took time to simply enjoy being in each other's presence, eyes closed, completely relaxed and comfortable. She was running her fingers along his arms, back and forth, and he reveled in her touch.

After a few moments, her fingers snaked farther up his arm, making their way to his shoulder, then to his neck, finally resting on his cheek, lightly cupping it in her palm. Instinctively, he leaned into her touch; but at the hint of a moan that escaped her lips, his slightly relaxed member hardened. He was brought back to the state of desire from before, and had to force himself to relax a bit. Not thirty seconds after getting a bit of control over his "situation," Jude's other hand slid from his arm to her side. She began to kneed his thigh, going higher and higher until her digits rested just to the right of his hardness.

He was literally aching for her touch—more than he ever had before. He longed for her touch...needed her touch. The demand for her reached a point of no return, so Tommy abruptly removed her hand and began to turn her so that she faced him. As soon as he moved, she helped him out, moving herself so that she was straddling him. She leaned in and began an assault on his neck, sucking, biting, licking...

His hands began to massage her ass, thoroughly loving how perfectly it fit into his hands. Again, he was surprised by how much he needed her to be closer, to feel every inch of her on him. Never before had any woman affected him like Jude did. Never before had he wanted to be affected by anyone.

The desire reaching a peak, he picked her up and set her down on his raging erection, groaning in complete and utter pleasure. Her hips began to move, her need for more taking over. Soon, water was sloshing out of the bath tub as their lovemaking became more frantic, more erratic. He moved her up and down, causing friction as she enveloped him to his hilt. The gasps and moans she let out spurred him on, making sure to reach her spot every time. He had never heard anything more erotic as the noises coming out of her mouth. As her inner muscles began to clench around him, he slammed her down even harder, attempting to bring both of them over the edge simultaneously.

His goal was reached, evidenced by the loud "Tommy!" that echoed through the bathroom. Minutes later, both were still breathing hard as they recovered from their passion. He was just beginning to be a bit more conscious of their surroundings. He realized the water they were partially submerged in was nearly cold, and the candles were nearly out. Releasing one last sigh, Tommy moved his hands from their place on her back and began to caress her shoulders and arms. Another couple of minutes passed, and Jude reluctantly began to stand up. Grabbing a towel from the counter, she handed it to him before grabbing one for herself.

Mostly dry, she wrapped the towel around herself and grabbed some lotion from her side of the counter. As she massaged it into her legs, Tommy was reminded of her incredible beauty. Whether she was naked and dripping in front of him, putting on lotion, or anything else, she was stunning.

They quickly returned to the bedroom after soaking up the water that had splashed out of the tub during their activities. With Jude wrapped in his arms under the covers, he knew that this was it. He would never let her go, and a plan began to form as to how he could make her his forever. He had the ring, now he just had to get creative.

…

Her head nodded along to the beat of the music playing in her car, though she didn't have a clue what was actually playing. She was somewhat confused as to what the night would hold, and had absolutely no idea as to what the night would entail. Tommy called her around ten that morning saying that he had some things to do outside of the studio and he would see her that evening. He told her not to worry about Sam, Sadie was taking her shopping after school, and to be home by six. He didn't give her any details and he had seemed abrupt and short with her on the phone, leading her to worry a bit about what to expect.

Pulling into their driveway, Jude turned off the car and got out with her things. She walked up the steps to the front door somewhat cautiously, unsure and apprehensive. But, any hint of fear or anxiety left her as she opened the door, heavenly scents infiltrating her nostrils.

"Baby?" was called from what she assumed was the kitchen.

"Hey Tommy," she answered. Setting her purse on the stairs, she made her way to the kitchen, only to smile at the sight. Tommy was standing over the stove wearing a pair of flannel pants and plain t-shirt. The best part of the look had to be the "Kiss the Cook" apron that covered his front. Following the advice of the apron, she placed a sweet kiss on his lips. "What are you doing?" she asked.

He smiled at her before going back to whatever he was cooking on the stove. "Well, Sam is with Sadie and Kwest for the night and it is the end of the week and I thought we could have a night to ourselves."

"We had that wonderful bath on Monday night together...and its only Friday?" She quickly added, "not that I'm complaining!" Its true, she wasn't complaining, but she was surprised.

"I know. But Monday only kind of counted. Besides, we talked about making sure to set aside time for just us, and that's what I'm doing. Tonight is about us." He placed his lips against her forehead, letting them linger for a moment. Separating, he told her, "Now, go put on something comfortable. Dinner should be ready in about five minutes."

She could only nod in agreement, so excited for the prospect of a night with him and no little girls in the house. Turning, she began to walk out of the room as a hand connected with her ass in a bit of a slap. She glared back at him before scampering up the steps. Reaching their room, she looked around for something comfortable to change into. Eyes landing on a button-up shirt of Tommy's, Jude knew that it would be perfect. She felt more relaxed just looking at the shirt and quickly shed the clothes she had been wearing all day, putting on the item that still smelled the unique scent that was truly Tommy. Knowing that she didn't want to go downstairs in only the shirt, Jude walked over to their dresser and grabbed a pair of boxers from one of Tommy's drawers. She pulled them over the lace boy shorts she was wearing, smiling at the thought of her underwear choice. Not long after getting together, Tommy had confessed that they were his favorite. When she had asked why, he told her that he loved being able to see part of her ass and the hint of everything underneath. He said that it was sexy as hell how a single pair of panties could be such a tease.

With that thought bringing a smile to her face, she left their room and headed back downstairs and into the kitchen. Coming up behind Tommy and wrapping her arms around his middle, she asked, "So, what smells so good?"

Turning to face her, he placed yet another sweet kiss on her forehead. I thought we could do something simple—a little lobster fettuccine?"

"No wonder the house smells so good, Babe." She turned, looking around the kitchen. "What can I do to help?"

"Nothing. We're ready to eat."

They grabbed their dishes and headed into the dining room, discussing their days, work, Jude's album, the studio...anything and everything. Nearly an hour later, both fully satiated and kitchen cleaned, the pair made their way into the living room. Tommy lit a fire as Jude put on some music, meeting back at the couch to sit back and truly relax.

So far, the night had been perfect for Jude. She was "wined and dined" by the most handsome man she had ever seen, not to mention the love of her life. But now, something was off. As soon as he sat down next to her, she could tell that something was wrong. He wouldn't look at her, he barely said anything for the first ten minutes they were sitting on the couch, and he was fidgeting with his hands.

Fed up with his lack of communication, Jude lay a hand on his to stop the nervous movement. "Okay, Babe. What's going on?"

He wouldn't look at her, frustrating her even more. "No." Grabbing his chin, she turned his head to make their eyes meet. "What is going on?"

Jude could see him take a deep breath and started to get nervous. _What the hell was going on? _ Abruptly he stood up, his actions completely startling her. He paced back and forth for a moment before falling to his knees in front of her. "Babe?" she asked.

He opened his mouth and closed it again. The action repeated, frustration obvious on his face, brow furrowed. Jude's concern increased as she waited for what he would say. She didn't have the courage to ask what was going on, too scared of what the answer might be.

A minute later, Tommy's mouth opened again, apparently finally ready to speak. He put his hands on her knees and took one last deep breath. "Jude..."

He called her Jude, not Babe, not Sweetheart, not Honey...none of the endearing terms she was used to hearing. His voice broke through her thoughts, and she focused on the words he was saying.

"I love you. It took me far too long to realize it, and far too long to long to get you. Being with you is perfect, and I know that this is it. I want you with me forever. I want to build our own family and grow old with you. I love you." He closed his eyes for a brief second before continuing. A small smile graced his face as he told her, "I shouldn't be so nervous, but I'm just going to say it: I love you. Jude, will you marry me?"

Her eyes were wide and shock took over. Before she gave him an answer, she couldn't help but smack his shoulder. "How dare you!" she exclaimed. "You worried me!" She couldn't believe he would make her worry like that. But, his words came back to her and she couldn't help but smile. He was perfect, and there was not a doubt in her mind that she loved him and wanted to be his wife. Grabbing his face between her hands and kissed him fiercely. She put all of her love and passion into that single kiss...the locking of their lips.

When her lungs began to burn with need for oxygen, she pulled back, resting her forehead against his.

"I guess I'll take that as a yes." The smirk that covered his face was so essentially Tommy that Jude couldn't help but laugh.

"Yes. For now and always...yes." She leaned forward and kissed him again, quickly moving things forward and encouraging the kiss to become more passionate and insistent. She was so completely taken over with desire and love for him that Jude fell forward, landing on top of him.

Her desire for him began to completely take over, and she couldn't seem to get close enough. The friction of their bodies rubbing against each other caused the small heat in her to light her whole body on fire. Everywhere his fingers traced brought tingles, every movement brought her closer to release.

Quickly, clothes were shed and sweat covered them. He entered her swiftly, striking at her core time and time again. They each found release nearly immediately, and collapsed in a pile of sweat-soaked limbs. Only moving slightly, Tommy grabbed a blanket from the side of the couch and threw it on top of them, rubbing her back as she drifted of. Being wrapped in his arms was perfection, there was no doubt about it.

Morning came far too quickly, ushered in by the ringing of Jude's cell phone somewhere deep in the house. Groggily she opened her eyes and looked around the room. Realizing that they were in the living room, Jude smiled at the memory of the previous night...she was officially an engaged woman! She looked down at her ring and couldn't help the smile from spreading across her face. Her thoughts drifted to a world of weddings and babies. She thought of the sweet church on the way to her parent's farmhouse and how perfect it would be for a ceremony. It wasn't too big—the right size for their close friends and family. The location would be great too: outside of town, but not too far away. And the pictures would be amazing, like something out of a magazine.

The irritating ring of a phone entered her consciousness, and she was begrudgingly brought back to the present. Grabbing Tommy's shirt from the side of their little make-shift bed, Jude got up, walking towards the obnoxious sounding phone. Finding it in her purse still on the stairs, she answered with a short, "What do you want, Sadie?" She didn't care if it was her sister or that she had done something nice by taking care of Sam for the night, Sadie took her away from precious and coveted time with Tommy.

Her sister's voice came across the line, "Fine, see if I do you any favors in the future."

"I'm sorry, Sades. I just don't like leaving my..." She paused for a second before finishing, "...my fiance." She couldn't help the grin that lit her face as she waited for her sister's response.

Not one to disappoint, Sadie squealed in joy. "Yay! He finally asked! What does the ring look like? What did he say? When are you getting married?"

Before Sadie could ask any more questions, Jude interrupted. "Sadie...Sadie! Calm down. One question at a time! The ring is...perfect. The diamond is an asscher cut and surrounded by onyx and the band is done completely in pave diamonds. It looks like Platinum, maybe?"

"How many carats?" Sadie asked.

Examining her finger, Jude guessed, "I don't know...maybe two?" She had never been one obsessed with expensive jewelry, so she wasn't sure how many carats the ring might be.

A low voice broke into her thoughts and a pair of arms snaked their way around her waist. "Try two-and-a-half."

Jude couldn't help the sigh that escaped her lips as she turned to peck Tommy on the cheek. His hair was pointing in all directions and his face still had that "half-asleep" look to it, but Jude thought he never looked better. It might have something to do with the fact that he was now her fiance, he had asked her to be with him forever. "Hey, Baby," she whispered.

His only response was a kiss on her cheek before taking the phone from her hand. "Sadie, my fiancee can tell you all the details tomorrow. But how long do we have before you bring our girl home?"

His words caused her heart to flutter, and tears pricked her eyes. She was overwhelmed by the knowledge that he chose her, and they had a family. They got to take care of their little girl and, at some point in the future, they would begin to build their own family. In some ways, this was the first step to forever, and Jude truly couldn't wait to get started. With a man like Tommy by her side, she was confident that she could do anything, achieve anything.

Lost in her sappy thoughts, Jude missed the rest of the conversation between Tommy and her sister. He tossed the phone in her purse without her knowledge and grabbed her waist, bringing her flush against him. "Well, we have about an hour." Wiggling his eyebrows, he asked, "What do you suggest we do with all that time?"

From there, he led her up the stairs and to their room. Upon entering, he picked her up and literally tossed her on the bed before crawling on top of her. Soon they were stripped of their clothing and rolling around on their large bed. Their love came to a pinnacle in strained screams, and they collapsed, limbs tangled, breath heavy, and content smiles adorning their faces. After a couple of minutes spent recovering, Tommy turned to face her. "You know, we still have almost thirty minutes and we both need to get clean. What do you say we save some water and hop in the shower?"

Sitting up, Jude nodded. "I think that's brilliant!" She hopped off the bed and grabbed his hand, dragging him after her. Exactly twenty-eight minutes and one more fiery round of morning-sex later, Tommy and Jude stepped out of the shower to dry themselves off and put some clothes on. They couldn't very well welcome their daughter home naked and fresh from some "sexy-time."

Not five minutes later, there was a knock on the front door, and they met Sam in the front entrance. A sweet, "Mommy! Daddy!" was shouted from the girl's mouth. She ran up to them and embraced them in a strong hold, both of them bent down to meet her.

Sadie let them enjoy their moment before pulling Jude to her feet. She threw her arms around her younger sister and demanded, "Tell me everything!"

Hearing her words, Tommy stood and grabbed his daughter's hand before standing next to Jude. Once Sadie let her go, he grabbed her waist and pulled her close. She couldn't help the flutter of her heart at his actions. She loved being close to him and wrapped in his embrace.

Jude re-focused her attention to what her husband-to-be was telling Sadie. "You have to wait until tomorrow for details Sadie. We are having a family day, starting right now. No work, nothing else, just us...and maybe some music." At his last statement, he glanced at Jude and smiled. She responded in kind, loving that he knew just what made her happy. If they had a day off, it would have to include some music, even if it was just fooling around.

Sadie was about to protest, but before she could say anything, Jude interrupted, saying, "Sades, how 'bout you and I grab some lunch tomorrow. I can tell you all the details, and you can tell me all about how my little niece or nephew is doing. Sound good?"

Sadie huffed and rolled her eyes. "Fine. I'll see you tomorrow."

After they shut the door behind her, Jude and Tommy turned to Sam. "What would you like to do today, Sweetie?" A great deal of discussion finally had the group decide on breakfast as their first course of action, followed by a movie or two. At some point they would get to dinner, and somewhere in their day, music would be played. Ultimately, they just wanted to relax together. Life had been pretty crazy, and they wanted to make sure that they enjoyed the freedom they had for the day.

At half past seven that night, the three were sitting in Tommy and Jude's bed watching the final installment of the Toy Story trilogy. Somewhere towards the middle of the movie, Sam turned to Jude and grabbed her hand. Fingering the new piece of jewelry that adorned her, the little girl asked, "Mommy, what is married?"

Knowing that something would have caused Sam to ask such a question, Jude inquired, "Hon, what made you ask that?"

"Auntie Sadie told uncle Kwest that she would get to help plan a wedding 'cause someone was getting married."

"Oh..." She was unsure how much detail to go into with the little girl, but decided to stay pretty basic. "Sam, when two people love each other very much they decide to get married. It means that they promise to stay together forever and have a family together."

"Okay."

Jude was surprised when Sam left things at that. However, nearly thirty minutes later, the girl asked, "Mommy, are you and Daddy getting married?"

Deciding to be as honest and simple as possible, Jude told the girl, "Yes." She paused the movie and turned to Sam. "Is that okay with you, Sweetie?"

She didn't know what she would do if the little girl didn't like the plan, so she waited for a response. It took a minute before she said, "Uh huh. But..."

Jude encouraged her by laying a hand on her knee. "Baby, you can ask me anything...tell me anything. What is it?"

Finally, Sam asked, "Does that mean you will have another baby and replace me?"

Jude couldn't help but chuckle at the girl's question. "No! Sam, we love you so much, and you will always be our first-born little girl." And it was true. Even if Sam wasn't technically Jude's, she was as close as one could be without actually birthing the girl. "If your dad and I have a baby, it just means you'll get to be a big sister. We can love both of you the same, not one more than the other."

It took a minute, but a sweet smile lit the girl's face. "Okay then. As long as you still love me, I think I would like to be a bit sister. But not yet, okay?"

Jude couldn't help but smile. "Okay, Sweetheart. I promise it won't happen quite yet. Now, let's finish this movie. She un-paused the TV and settled in to finish the movie. Once the movie had finished, she glanced over at her fiance. During their whole conversation, Tommy was asleep, curled against her. He looked so precious, and she once again asked herself how she ended up so lucky. With that thought, another idea came to mind, and she quietly crawled out of the bed and grabbed a pencil and paper from the nightstand. Putting into words all of the racing emotions and thoughts, Jude was surprised to realize she had the beginnings of an amazing song. She couldn't wait to show Tommy and get his input.

Climbing back onto the bed, Jude made her way under the covers and drifted off to sleep, completely content to be surrounded by the two most important people in her life.

…

Life was pretty good as far as he could tell. He had a job that he loved—at least most of the time. He had a beautiful daughter. He had an incredible fiancee. It had been a month since he proposed...a month since she agreed to become his wife. The mere mention of the word "wife" made him smile in anticipation and excitement.

A knock on the door interrupted his happy thoughts, and Tommy was brought back to the reality of every day life. It was true that he honestly loved his job, but some of the more mundane tasks never settled well. Getting up from his desk, he followed one of the interns into the conference room.

Nearly an hour later, the meeting was done, and Tommy couldn't seem to get out of the room fast enough. On the way to his office, he was surprised by a vibration in his back pocket. Opening his phone, he answered, "Tom Quincy..."

Jude's frantic and high pitched voice came from the other end of the phone, but she was speaking so fast that he could barely understand her. "Babe, slow down. Did you just say something about labor?"

"Yes!" was yelled across the line. "Sadie is going into labor! Grab Kwest and get your asses down to the hospital. We are waiting to get checked into a room now."

"Okay, Babe. Take a deep breath and calm down. I'm getting my keys right now and Kwest and I can be there in twenty minutes at most." He couldn't believe that the time had come—Sadie and Kwest were going to have a kid!

"Fine, just hurry!"

Jude was clearly frazzled and Tommy couldn't help but chuckle at her panic. "I will. I love you, Jude."

He heard her take a moment and pause, smiling when she replied, "I love you too, Tommy. I'll see you soon."

Hanging up the phone, he grabbed the keys from their place on his desk and walked to the studios to find his best friend. Thankfully, he was in the first studio. "Hey, man! You're about to be a dad. Let's go!"

The pair made their way to the car and quickly drove to the hospital. Rushing in to the hospital, they ran to the Sadie's room, ignoring the protests of the nurses and doctors along the way. Kwest rushed to his wife's side, grasping her hands in his and kissing her sweetly on the forehead. Tommy was struck by the sweetness of their interaction, and couldn't help but imagine how things would be once Jude got pregnant with their child. There was no question in his mind that he wanted lots of babies with her—he couldn't wait to experience all parts of the pregnancy: cravings, hormones, swelling, birth.

Feeling her presence at his side, Tommy leaned down and kissed the top of Jude's head. She leaned into his side, causing him to wrap an arm around her shoulders and hold her close.

Her voice softly came across, "It's like we're watching a movie...I feel like we're intruding on their moment."

Grabbing her hand, he leaned close to her ear, whispering, "I know what you mean. Let's grab some coffee downstairs."

"Perfect."

As they walked down to the cafeteria, Jude told him about how Sadie was doing so far. The doctor told them that it would be a while, at least five or six hours at this point. He told her about his day—the boring meetings, the dramatic diva Darius had wanted him to sign, and how her album was progressing.

"We're only looking at doing one more song, right?"

"Yeah. And, to be honest, I think that a ballad would round out the album perfectly. Do you have anything?" He always took a look at her journal every couple of days to see what new material she came up with. There hadn't been a ballad in a while, instead filling the pages with more upbeat songs of love and duty.

"Actually..."

Jude let her words hang, and Tommy was surprised. "But I've seen your journal. There isn't a new ballad in there. When did you write it?"

"I've been putting something together over the last couple of weeks. After you proposed and Sam was with us that next night, the idea kind of hit. I only got a little bit done that night, and I planned on going over it with you the following day. But, life got a bit crazy and I totally forgot about it."

His girl constantly amazed him. "What's it like?" He couldn't help but ask, wanting to know how this final piece of her album would sound. Jude looked off, brow furrowed in concentration. She was obviously trying to articulate what the song was like.

Eventually, she looked back at him and responded. "Its a love song."

He raised his eyebrows at her words. Was she really going to just leave it at that?

Smiling, she continued, "Fine. It's emotional and kind of intense...about taking a chance and putting yourself out there."

He couldn't help but smile at her description of the song, and couldn't wait to hear it. "What about the sound?"

"It's pretty stripped down. I think I want to do it on the piano, nothing else. I guess it almost has a vintage vibe to it."

Despite the fact that they were currently in the hospital waiting for Sadie to give birth, Tommy wanted to race to the studio to hear this song. By the way Jude was smiling, he could tell that this song was going to be a masterpiece. A soft, yet callused hand covered his, bringing him back to the hospital cafeteria.

"Babe, let's get back upstairs. I was going to see if Sadie wanted anything from home since we're going to be here for a while."

"Sure, Hon." He grabbed her hand and they headed to her sister's room. When they were only steps from the door, his phone began to ring. Seeing that it was Darius, Tommy motioned for Jude to go inside the room and answered his boss' call.

Twenty minutes later, Jude came out of the room and he was just hanging up the phone. It had been an interesting conversation with Darius, one he was sure his wife-to-be would not be happy about. The man had wanted them to coincide her album release with their wedding, making it into one big extravaganza. He wanted to make a media-circus of their love and their family. On the way to Sadie and Kwest's house to pick up the things Sadie had requested, he relayed what Darius had said. Jude, not surprisingly, was outraged at the offer.

"That is pretty much the farthest thing from what I ever pictured our wedding looking like!" she yelled.

This had Tommy curious as to what she had pictured. Of course, he had his own ideas, but this was the perfect opportunity to find out what she wanted. "So, what did you picture?" 

"Honestly?" When he nodded, she continued. "I would love to get married in a smaller ceremony in a quaint little chapel—like the one on the way to the farm house. Only family and friends...Sam as our flower girl...Dad walking me down the aisle. For the reception, I would want it to be small and simple...like a dinner at our house or at Kwest and Sadie's. What do you think?" She looked out the window of the car as if nervous to what his response would be.

In reality, what she had just said was perfect. Since meeting Jude, he hadn't really wanted the flashy and showy things of his past. He wanted real and honest. Being surrounded by close friends and family on the day that they officially committed to each other would be perfect. "I think that sounds pretty amazing, Babe."

The smile she gave him was beautiful, relaying her joy at his words. He heart felt light knowing that they were talking about their wedding, and he had the strongest urge to get married then and there. "Jude, how would you feel about getting married sooner rather than later?" They had talked about setting the date for about six months in the future, but had yet to finalize anything.

"I would seriously love that. Are you sure?"

"Absolutely! If it weren't for the kid Sadie is trying to push out, I would say we should do it now." And he seriously would. The more time that went by, the more he wanted her to be his forever. He didn't need a big wedding, he just needed Jude...and Sam...and the family they would build in the future.

"Really?"

Grabbing her hand with his free one, he smiled, "Really, Babe."

Silence accompanied them on the rest of the way to her sister's house, both content with where they stood. Once they arrived and grabbed everything they needed, Jude thought it would be good to check in with Sam. Thankfully, Stuart had been in town on business and had been able to get out of some afternoon meetings in order to pick Sam up from school. With the knowledge that their girl was doing alright and having fun with her grandpa, the pair headed out for the hospital once again.

Fifteen hours after arriving back at the hospital, Arianna Georgina Taylor was born. She was a healthy eight pounds, twenty-two inches long, with a full head of dark hair. The beautiful caramel-skinned little girl was passed between the adults, happy to be showered with love. Tommy had been a bit timid, not wanting to hurt the small child. But, sitting with Jude next to him and the girl in his arms, he couldn't wait to have this with Jude. Once again, in that moment, he saw a glimpse of what his future would look like with Jude, and he saw how perfect it was.

After Arianna was taken to the nursery, Jude and Tommy shared the news that they would be getting married in a few weeks, giving Sadie enough time to recover. She was thrilled, and literally begged to help plan things, Jude gladly accepting her help.

Just after six o'clock, Tommy and Jude drove back to their place, picking up Sam on the way. They settled in for the night, making a simple dinner and watching a movie. Once their daughter was down for the night, Jude led him back to their room where her guitar was waiting on the bed.

"Sit," she told him simply.

Not sure what to expect, he followed her instructions, sitting down on the bed.

She sat across from him and brought her guitar to her lap. She began a small strum, but before she began singing, she qualified the song with, "Now, imagine this with the piano, not the acoustic, okay?"

He nodded, not wanting to disrupt what was bound to be a magical moment.

She began to strum again, and soon, her rich and beautiful voice carried over the chords.

_You've been on my mind  
I grow fonder every day lose myself in time  
Just thinking of your face God only knows  
Why it's taking me so long to let my doubts go  
You're the only one that I want_

I don't know why I'm scared, I've been here before  
Every feeling every word, I've imagined it all,  
You never know if you never try to forgive your past  
And simply be mine

I dare you to let me be your, your one and only  
Promise I'm worthy to hold in your arms  
So come on and give me the chance  
To prove up I'm the one who can  
Walk them miles  
Until the end starts  
Warping on your mind

You hang on every word I say, lose yourself in time  
At the mention of my name, will I ever know  
How it feels to hold you close  
And have you tell me which ever road I chose you'll go

I don't know why I'm scared, I've been here before  
Every feeling every word, I've imagined it all,  
You never know if you never try to forgive your past  
And simply be mine

I dare you to let me be your, your one and only  
I promise I'm worthy to hold in your arms  
So come on and give me the chance  
To prove up I'm the one who can  
Walk them miles  
Until the end starts

I know it ain't easy  
Giving up your heart  
I know it ain't easy  
Giving up your heart

Nobody's perfect, it ain't easy, trust me I've given up your heart  
Nobody's perfect, it ain't easy, trust me I've given up your heart

I know it ain't easy  
Giving up your heart  
Nobody's perfect, it ain't easy, trust me I've given up your heart

I dare you to let me be your, your one and only  
I promise I'm worthy to hold in your arms  
So come on and give me the chance  
To prove up I'm the one who can  
Walk them miles until the end starts  
Come and give me the chance  
To prove that I'm the one who can  
Walk them miles until the end starts. 

Tommy was speechless. He was expecting something great from this song, but the reality far surpassed expectations. Jude had been right. The song was raw and real and had an amazing vintage feel to it. "Babe..." It was the only thing he could say, words not worthy of judging this masterpiece.

She looked up at him from under her long eyelashes and asked, "You like it?"

How could she even ask that? "Jude, the song is the very definition of perfection. This will make your album. I love it." Taking the guitar from her and walking it across the room, he set it on the stand in the corner. Coming back to her, he grabbed her hands. "I love you, and I can't wait to be your husband."

She smiled, the action literally making his heart sing. Her words brought him higher, "I will be so honored to be your wife. I love you too, Babe."

With that, he captured her lips. Passion quickly escalated, tongues colliding, heat building, clothes flying. Again, Tommy was surprised by how much he needed her...craved her. His body hummed with want and his length was throbbing with the desire to be inside her. His last conscious thought was that this was going to be a very long and exhausting night, and he wouldn't have it any other way.

…

The song Jude sings for Tommy at then end of the night is _One and Only_ by Adele. Check out her new album because it is AMAZING!


	15. Epilogue

Epilogue

Back and forth, back and forth...Tommy had been pacing from one side of the room to the other for the last fifteen minutes. He was nervous as hell that things would be perfect, and he wanted for things to be perfect more than anything. Today was the day when his girl would officially be his forever.

The past few weeks had been completely crazy. Jude's album had been released two weeks prior and they had been doing promotion seemingly nonstop. When they weren't promoting her album or working in the studio, they were taking care of Sam and helping with Arianna. But somehow, amidst all of the other things going on, they had time to plan a wedding. Of course, it was going to be a small and intimate occasion, without fanfare and buzz.

Still, as was determined before, he was completely nervous. He wanted to make sure that Jude was doing alright—calm and content. Their many wedding conversations had brought them here, to the small church on the way to her family's farm house, with their closest friends and family sitting in wait.

Tommy's thoughts were interrupted by the door to his room opening. Looking up, his eyes met those of the eldest Harrison. "Stuart," he said, nodding in greeting.

"Tom," Stuart replied as he stepped in the room. Shaking hands, the two men just looked at each other before Jude's father spoke again. "To be honest, Tom, I'm not surprised that we are standing here today. I think I always knew it was coming."

"I know what you mean, sir." Tom paused, but finished his thoughts, "It's been a long time coming."

"That it has, that it has." Sitting in one of the chairs to the side of the door, Stuart looked at his soon-to-be son-in-law. "Now that you two are here, getting married, I have to tell you how proud I am of my daughter. She is a strong woman, and so talented. But more than that, she has so much love to give." Before continuing, Stuart looked at the floor as if trying to gather his thoughts. Tommy didn't say a word, curious as to what the older man would say. "Tom, I'm glad that you are the one she is sharing that love with. You and Sam have become such an important part of our family, and I know that you'll take care of her."

Tommy nodded his head in agreement. "I will take care of her, Stuart. I promise that she, along with Sam, is my world and I would do nothing to take that away or change that." He wanted to make sure that Jude's dad knew how serious he was. Jude was his life, and he would not be complete without her by his side. Going over to Stuart, Tom grasped his hand and pulled the older man to his feet. "Thank you for being so supportive of us and for welcoming me into your family." With that, he hugged his almost-father-in-law.

The men's embrace was interrupted by the door opening, yet again. This time, Kwest entered, telling them both that it was time. Stuart separated from Tommy and walked out the door, saying, "See you boys at the end of the aisle."

Not ten minutes later, the ceremony was starting. Tommy was at the front of the church with Kwest and the minister, eagerly awaiting his bride-to-be. Sadie made her way down the aisle, looking fantastic for having given birth less than a month prior. Sam soon followed as the flower girl, sprinkling petals along the aisle. When she reached the front, she whispered an excited, "hello" to Tommy, and he couldn't help but smile at her precociousness.

The music changed as soon as Sam sat down in the front row, and could barely contain his thrill at the prospect of seeing Jude. She did not disappoint and he forgot to breathe as she proceeded down the aisle on her father's arm. She was a vision in her gown—elegant and modern—completely stunning.

Once she reached the front of the small church, Jude turned to her father and kissed his cheek. The older man adjusted her veil so that her face was visible, and gave her a sweet kiss on her forehead. He grabbed her right hand and Tommy's left hand, bringing them together before moving to his place next to Sam in the front row.

For a moment, Tommy was struck by the symbolism of the simple action—Stuart placing Jude's hand in his was like he was letting his baby go. Bringing himself back to the present, Tommy led Jude a few steps closer to the minister as he began to speak. Not surprisingly, as he gazed in the eyes of his love, Tommy was awestruck. His girl was so beautiful, she radiated joy and happiness, and was literally glowing. He couldn't help but think that this was the real start to the rest of their lives.

…

The light breeze slightly shifted her dress and blew her hair, but Jude took no notice because of the strong arms wrapped securely around her waist. They were taking a few photos in the garden outside the church since the ceremony had concluded. To be honest, if it weren't for the constant comments coming from their photographer, Jude would have thought it was just the two of them. She was reveling in his presence, in his arms. After a while, Sam came running up, wanted to be in their pictures too. They gladly agreed since the girl was such an integral part of their lives and their relationship. After they had finished with the photos, they made their way to the car that would take them to Kwest and Sadie's for a catered dinner.

With an arm around her husband's waist, Jude couldn't help from smiling, she felt like life couldn't get better than it was at that moment. Turning to Tommy, she asked, "Doesn't it seem like things are just about perfect right now?"

Tommy smiled down at her and responded, "That's because things are just about perfect." He kissed the top of her head before continuing. "The only thing that would make this better is if we had another Quincy on the way."

She was shocked at his words, but couldn't help but get excited at the prospect of a child of their own. Jude had always loved kids, but since Sam had entered their lives, her desire for kids of her own had blossomed. Her only response was a widened smile and tightening her grip on his waist.

Eventually, they made their way to her sister's house for their reception. Tommy had decided to take them on a more scenic route, traveling through some of the back roads, enabling them to arrive last to the dinner. Walking in the front entrance, Jude was overwhelmed with the feeling of contentment. She was surrounded by about 50 of her closest friends and family, in the arms of the love of her life. This was how a wedding should be—filled with love and joy.

She and Tommy made their way into the room and sat at the head table for dinner. Conversation was fun and lively, filled with laughter and joy. And, as soon as plates were being cleared away, the music started up and the dancing began. Helping to pull out her chair, Tommy put out his hand for her, "May I have the first dance with my wife?"

Jude couldn't help the grin that spread across her face. "I would love to dance with you, husband."

They made their way to the center of the room and wrapped themselves in each other's arms. She rested her head against his shoulder, tucking it into the crook of his neck. The sense of contentment that washed over her anew was like rain from heaven, completely refreshing. Being in Tommy's arms was as close to perfection as she could get. If only she could get rid of the slightly nauseous feeling in her stomach. She chalked it up to wedding jitters, but the "icky" feeling just wouldn't go away.

Pushing the sickly thoughts aside, Jude closed her eyes and focused on the man whose arms were currently encircling her waist. A sigh escaped her lips and she simply enjoyed being with her husband. A gasp soon followed, however, when his hand glided down her back, settling on the top curve of her ass.

His husky voice whispered in her ear, "Is my sense of touch mistaken, or do you not have anything on underneath this dress?"

No matter how determined she was not to smile, Jude couldn't hold back the smirk that lit her features and made her eyes sparkle. "You are correct...under this dress is all me...and nothing else..." She wagged her eyes suggestively before leaning closer and whispering in his ear, "Does that turn you on, Quincy?" With her question, Jude brought her hips closer to his and rubbed against his hardening member.

The intake of breath was sudden, and his grasp on her tightened at her words. He began to kiss the shell of her ear before moving inward, letting his heated breath caress her skin. His lips moved slowly to the indent just below her ear, gently sucking on the skin, making her tingle with want.

"Tommy!" she whispered urgently, trying to get him to stop his tortuous actions. When he didn't stop, she tried to pull away from him. But, because his ministrations were pure perfection, her will was less than resilient. "Oh, fine..." she moaned, trying to keep her voice low enough that no one else would notice what was transpiring between the newly married pair.

Thankfully, the song came to an end quickly. Tommy grabbed her wrist tightly and led her toward the front door. Both groaned in irritation when a bubbly blonde interrupted their path, placing herself in between them and the door that led to their escape.

Seeing their expressions, she rolled her eyes, "Alright, you two...keep it in your pants for five more minutes. At least say goodbye to Dad and Sam, okay? You know, for all the planning that went into tonight, you would think you could stay longer than 8:30."

…

Sitting on the plane, Tommy thought back over the last 48 hours. The wedding had been perfect, and the reception was beautiful. Of course, they had only stayed long enough to eat and fulfill their obligatory first dance. From there, both were so ready to be alone that they skipped out on the rest of the evening. Spied ended up cutting the cake with Mason, and the party had apparently continued on until around midnight. By them, he and Jude were on to much better things. Thankfully, Stuart had taken Sam to stay with him for the week, giving Jude and him some much-needed and much-deserved alone time.

The only thing Tommy slightly regretted was the hasty goodbye they had given to their girl. So completely taken over by a need for Jude, they had nearly left without giving Sam a proper goodbye. He was somewhat ashamed to admit that he had forgotten about his own daughter, but he chalked it up to the craziness of a wedding. Not to mention that the only conscious thought going through his mind was getting Jude alone and naked and having his way with her.

After a restless night filled with passion, they had a chance to see Sam before heading off on their honeymoon. That very morning they had met her, Stuart, Sadie, Kwest, and new baby Arianna for breakfast at Stuart's hotel. They had talked about some of their plans, Stuart had shared what he was going to do with his two grand-daughters, and Sadie and Kwest had confessed that they were going to get away for a night. From the hotel, Jude and he had gone straight to the airport, ready to be on their way.

And here they were, an hour away from landing on the small island of Aruba. They had an exclusive bungalow reserved for their honeymoon abode, and Tommy had no plans of leaving it empty for most of their stay. The lecherous grin that covered his face at the thought of keeping Jude in their retreat all week long turned soft when the beautiful woman beside him began to stir.

She hadn't been feeling well that morning, feeling overly tired and a bit nauseous. As soon as they boarded their plane, he encouraged her to get some rest. She only woke to change planes in Florida before they continued their journey. When her eyes opened, he kissed her forehead and asked, "Are you feeling a bit better, Babe?"

Cringing slightly, Jude shook her head. "Honestly, not really. Maybe its all the excitement of the past few days though. Once we land and get to our place, I'll be fine."

Tommy could tell that there was more going on by the slight darkness in her eyes. As much as he would have liked to pretend that everything was fine, he knew that, in order to truly enjoy their honeymoon, they would need to figure out whatever else was going on. With that as his motivation, he turned her head to face him and locked their eyes. "Jude, what's really going on?"

She opened her mouth in protest, but before a word could escape, he covered her lips with a finger. "Nope, we aren't going to pretend that everything is fine. What's up?"

After a moment, she took a deep breath and looked out the window. He could see her eyes close and her face scrunch up before she mumbled something. Because she wasn't facing him, he couldn't hear what she said and asked her to repeat herself. Another pause elapsed before she looked at him, eyes filled with tears ready to fall. "I think I'm pregnant," she whispered.

Shock overtook him and there was not a single word that would come to the forefront of his mind. When he still had no response a few moments later, Jude looked back to the ground and said, "Say something..." in a low voice.

That was all it took for Tommy's mouth to catch up with his mind, and he captured her lips in an almost bruising kiss. Moving his lips against hers, he tried to convey his excitement, love, and joy at the news that they may soon be parents to their own child. Finally separating from her in a desperate need for oxygen, he looked at her with a smile a mile wide, "Really?"

She seemed to be a bit dazed, and only nodded her agreement.

Taking a hand and placing it on her stomach, Tommy couldn't help but softly caress the flat surface. "Baby...we're going to have a baby." Looking up at her, he sighed, "I love you so much." His other hand moved to her cheek, cupping it and simply reveling in her soft skin.

The hint of a smile began to form on her lips before asking, "You aren't upset or disappointed?"

Violently shaking his head, he exclaimed, "No! You know how much I want to have more babies with you and make our family bigger. It may be a bit sooner than we expected, but that doesn't mean I'm upset. I'm thrilled!" He kissed her softly, tenderly, giving evidence to his love.

Again, they separated and could only gaze in each other's eyes. Had anyone been paying attention to their private moment, they would have seen two people completely in love, with eyes only for each other. Theirs was the sort of love that Tommy made fun of in his Boyz Attack days. But knowing the reality of being loved by Jude, he could care less how goofy or sappy he was. She was everything to him...her and Sam...and their baby.

A small giggle escaped his wife's lips, and he questioned her with raised eyebrows.

She looked up at him through long eyelashes and explained, "I bought a test at the airport, but I've been to scared to take it."

Tommy couldn't help but smile at her confession. "Do you have it with you?"

She seemed surprised at his question, but only nodded in response.

"Go take it." Her brow furrowed, and he cajoled her, "I'm serious. Go take the test. I want to know if we are going to be parents."

…

Seven and a half months later, a beautiful boy was christened Caleb Stuart Quincy. He was a healthy 22 inches long, nearly eight pounds, and the most handsome baby any of their friends had ever seen.

Needless to say, they found out that Jude was indeed pregnant on their honeymoon. Once they arrived home, they determined that she was about a month along. Tommy and her week alone in Aruba was perfect—the picture of relaxation and restoration. They rarely left their bungalow unless it was to stroll on the beach or go into town—which only happened once. They even managed to write a song or two for her next album, though they weren't sure what the timing would look like with a baby on the way.

Once arriving home, they discovered that her album had gone double platinum, and was met with worldwide praise. Fans were clamoring for a tour, something Jude accomplished through a few smaller club shows throughout Canada and in a few of the major US cities. Tommy would barely let her lift a finger, he was so excited for their child to be born.

Sam was excited too, she couldn't wait to be a big sister and show her little brother the ropes of life as a Quincy. She had been thrilled when they returned home from their honeymoon, especially excited to spend time with them now that a new member was on their way.

An extra day in the hospital was spent ensuring that both mommy and baby were healthy and ready to go, but the family finally arrived at their home the following afternoon. Tommy had taken only side streets and drove at half the normal speed to ensure the safety of his family. The first sight that greeted Jude as they walked in the front door was not her sister or father, nor was it the "Welcome Home" banner that hung in the entry. Instead, it was the beautiful white grand piano that decorated their living room.

Looking to Tommy, she questioned with her eyes what the instrument was doing there, and was only met with a sweet smile. She didn't have the energy or the time to question him further, surrounded by the loving members of their growing family.

In the years to come, Jude and Tommy continued to make beautiful music together. They had two more children, a little girl and another little boy, and life was good. It wasn't so much that things were perfect...they most certainly weren't! Tommy and Jude had their arguments, raising kids took a great deal of work, and a life in the media came with many complications. But, all in all, their were happy. Again and again, Jude was reminded that she was living her dream with the man she loved and a family that was her world.


End file.
